


Shadow of the Mountain

by TheNevemore



Series: The Excelsior Pack [1]
Category: 2PM (Band), Big Bang (Band), EXO (Band), Super Junior, Super Junior-M, VIXX, f(x)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, F/M, Fantasy, Fireflies, Flower Crowns, Fluff, LITERALLY, M/M, Mates, Mentions of Past Non-Consent, Omega Verse, Werewolves, also, basically it will be squishy, because I like to twist tropes to my own devices, both nothing particularly intense or graphic, but it primarily focuses on just a few, but there will be other pieces in the series that follow the same time flow, gender is not a thing, in this particular fic, lots of fluff, not your usual ABO though, so expect lots of quirkiness there, the cast is rather large, this fic is the main thread
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-05
Updated: 2016-02-23
Packaged: 2018-04-30 02:57:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 37,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5147747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNevemore/pseuds/TheNevemore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jiyong is an omega - a useless, pitiful omega. In the desert basin where he lives, omegas are little more than an extra mouth to feed, not even having the power to be useful hunters. But, even with the odds stacked against him, Jiyong had always dreamed of finding a mate - preferably a powerful alpha or beta who would be able to cherish him. When he attends the basin’s courtship festival, though, the little omega learns that sometimes you should be careful what you wish for. Because, when a strange pack of wolves from the northern mountains show up, Jiyong has to choose between his home and the mate he had always dreamed of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Expect the Unexpected

**Author's Note:**

> Important Note: In this fic, rank takes the place of gender. That means that “male” and “female” don’t particularly exist in this universe. Instead, the male pronouns are used to describe the typical werewolves while the female pronouns apply to a specific category known as Goddess Touched. Explanations for what that term means appears in the story. Just know, anybody could get pregnant, because gender ain’t a thing, but the different ranks have different levels of fertility. An alpha is more likely to get pregnant/impregnate than a beta, a beta is more likely than a delta, and the omegas are the least fertile. Woo. There are multiple alphas per pack, because packs are larger than normal, but only one alpha is the pack leader - others are subordinates. 
> 
> Warnings: Mentions of non-consensual stuff crop up once in a while, because one of the characters has a painful past. For the most part, though, you’re clear. This fic is largely on the side of fluff but won't have any smut in it - if you've noticed, that's just not something I write. I suppose there’s also what qualifies as m-preg way down the line, but that is due to the unique gender issues that have cropped up in this fic. Believe me, it is a ride and a half trying to figure out how to negotiate these tricky waters. 
> 
> Author’s Note: So, this is a thing I am writing as kind of a prize for rosefangedlion. Every time she updates a chapter of a fic or writes a chapter in her novel, she gets a chapter of this in reward. In return, she’ll be writing me things when I finish chapters or stacks of grading. We’re motivating one another. It’s pretty great. The ships I included in here are for her enjoyment - she specifically asked me for JiDae - and there are also things that pop up in here because she likes them. I just thought I’d share this story with you because… Well, honestly I thought you might enjoy it. Hopefully it’s not too confusing. Later chapters will feature pictures of the locations that inspired the story - pictures I took while in Yellowstone National Park. So that’ll be fun. I should also mention that this arc of the story follows JiDae. I will be doing spin-off stories following other couples, because… why not? I can keep writing on this thing for a long time, with how much plot I’ve bitten off. So that’ll be fun. Everything related to this fic will probably just be posted in this particular story rather than having spin-offs, but we'll see how big this thing actually gets. 
> 
> Pictorial cast guide: http://quoth-the-todae-nevermore.tumblr.com/post/130254215666/shadow-of-the-mountain-a-pictorial-cast-guide

The monsoons were coming. Soon the air would be heavy with rain, and for a few short weeks the desert would blossom with life. But before the first storms came, there was unfinished business to be resolved.

 

Since the days when the goddess had split the moon into light and dark, the werewolves had spent the days leading to the monsoons celebrating life and love. The desert and canyon land packs would send their eligible wolves to find mates and, sometimes, new homes. That year, though, the courtship festival was not bright and jovial; the atmosphere was thick with desperation and fear. A shortage of prey and an ongoing famine had struck the packs hard. The possibility of starvation was so high that many of the pack leaders had warned their wolves that if they wanted to take a mate that year, they would have to join their mate's pack. An extra mouth to feed could tip the delicate balance towards disaster, and the alphas were unwilling to take that risk - even knowing how an extra hunter could aid the pack. So, the normally jubilant young wolves were nearly sick with worry. Every wolf wanted - no, needed - the companionship of a mate; but, the survival of the pack was paramount. How could a single wolf sacrifice their entire family for the mere possibility of happiness?

 

As the opening festivities began, a brunette from the Sunburst pack looked around at the assembled wolves with a frown. He noticed how some of the wolves from the newest pack - NeverNoon - looked a bit gaunt. They had been hit the hardest by the shortage, because they did not have a territory of their own. NeverNoon had formed when the old leader of the Red Rock wolves had unexpectedly died and a ruthless new alpha, Hong Man, had taken control. The alpha had instigated a number of cruel practices, including castrating the less fertile omegas and taking anyone he desired to his bed, regardless of whether or not they were willing. A young alpha named Yongguk had tried to challenge for control of the pack, but he had lacked the experience and strength necessary to beat the substantially larger werewolf. Yongguk had barely managed to escape - beaten and bloody - but he had found himself cut off from everyone he loved. Some of his packmates had recklessly snuck off to join him - ignoring the very real risk to their safety were they caught - and they had slowly gathered together the outcasts from the other packs as well. With those added numbers, they were finally strong enough to be officially recognized as a pack, which at least allowed them to participate in the courtship festivities - for what that was worth. 

 

The brunette sighed. Jiyong wished there was something he could do, but he was nothing more than an omega. If he were an alpha like his packmate Wooyoung or a strong beta like Tao from the Golden Moon pack, then perhaps he would be able to help Yongguk and his little family. But Jiyong was powerless to do anything beyond keep his head down. 

 

The Sunburst pack, to which Jiyong belonged, was better off than the likes of the NeverNoon and Golden Moon packs; the Sunburst's position near the largest lake in the basin meant that their prey source had lasted well enough to keep them afloat. Taeyang, their pack leader, had even said that two wolves could bring a mate home, so long as the new wolves were a beta or alpha - an omega or delta would simply be a burden they could not withstand. It seemed likely that Wooyoung and Taeyang would find good mates; they were both so strong. Jiyong was trying to be excited for the prospect of new pack mates, but the slim brunette could not help but be a little jealous. Like any wolf, he longed for the companionship of a mate and wanted to have that feeling of belonging that came with being loved. 

 

Jiyong sighed. Once the last bonfire had been lit and the last ritualistic syllable uttered, the various wolves broke into their packs in order to bed down for the night. The five packs - Sunburst, Red Rock, Golden Moon, NeverNoon, and Silver Star - were very reluctant to share space with one another; ancient grudges and concerns over safety existed any time the packs met. Trudging over to where his packmates Wooyoung, Taeyang, Jinwoo, and Minki waited, Jiyong avoided making eye contact with anyone and tried to appear invisible. Once he was close enough, Wooyoung slid an arm around his waist and gave a squeeze. "You excited for tomorrow?" the alpha said, a wide grin turning his lips.

 

Raising an eyebrow, Jiyong looked over at Wooyoung. "Excited to watch everyone swoon over you? Sure." He rolled his eyes a little. "You know I am little more than a bit of sagebrush in the background compared to you."

 

"Only because those other packs don't realize how amazing you are, Ji." Wooyoung squeezed his side again. "Rank shouldn't be everything."

 

Jiyong gave a tired laugh. "Shouldn't," he agreed. "But it is. Some of the packs have even forbidden their omegas from coming - they're that determined to try to breed them out of existence."

 

Wooyoung frowned. "Which is absolutely ridiculous. The goddess made the four ranks for a purpose. She must have had a reason for creating each one with their unique traits."

 

The brunette wanted to believe his cousin - wanted to believe that the goddess would make omegas so useless for some grand design - but it was difficult to see the point in it. Wolves were made to find mates and reproduce, but omegas were the least fertile rank. Taking an omega as a partner was all but rejecting a wolf's primary purpose. His lot in life was completely hopeless. He would never find a mate or have pups or be happy; it was as clear as the mark on his palm that he was destined to be alone. Seeing Jiyong's dour expression, Taeyang rolled his eyes a little. "Ji, help Jinwoo get the bedding down. The sooner we lay down, the sooner the dawn comes."

 

Heaving a heavy sigh, the omega peeled himself away from Wooyoung and trudged over to help the younger delta begin to lay out their bedrolls. While they worked, Taeyang turned his attention towards Minki - the young beta who had already gained a number of admirers because of his pretty features. "Min, tomorrow you're going to need to be careful," the older wolf warned. "Don't make any rash decisions. We have at least a week until the rains come, and I want you to wait as long as possible to pick a mate." Ji envied Minki. He wondered what it would be like to be so openly desired, to have nearly every eligible wolf in the basin panting after you. It seemed like a dream come true to have both the rank and the features necessary to be sought after; Ji had neither. Being lanky and having small eyes and such a weak chin doomed Jiyong to obscurity, even without his lackluster brown fur adding to his absolutely mundane appearance. Minki, on the other hand, had bright golden fur and large eyes set in a soft, round face that made him look like a precious little doll. Of course, he had a fiery personality to match, so it was like a devil and an angel wrapped into a single, strong beta body. He was, quite literally, the ideal mate. And it made Ji sick. 

 

"And what if I don't want any of the ones who offer?" Minki bit out.

 

Everyone stilled, stopping in their work to stare at the brazen blond. Taeyang arched an eyebrow. "Then you had better be prepared to offer for a wolf yourself, Min. If you come home unmated this year, it's likely next year will not be so kind. Wolves have long memories, and your rejection of all possible mates would make them unlikely to offer for you again in future seasons."

 

"I'm sure one of them will interest you," Wooyoung added. "Not all of the wolves are as inhumane as Hong Man or as full of themselves as Siwon. You just have to keep an open mind and use the time to really get to know people from the other packs." The brunette flashed the younger wolf a wide smile. "Trust me, Min, you'll be fine." But Minki did not look impressed. 

 

Before an argument could blossom into life, Jinwoo clapped his hands together. "All finished!" He smiled brightly at the two alphas and the beta, his large eyes crinkling prettily with the motion. "Are you ready to get some sleep? I bet we'll all need our strength for tomorrow!" 

 

Jinwoo's words served to remind Taeyang of his earlier decree, which in turn made their leader nod sharply. "Get to sleep, everyone." It was like magic. Somehow, Jinwoo always managed to get Taeyang to do as he wished, even though the delta was always very careful to never order the alpha around. Jiyong wondered how he did it: How he managed to be both submissive and in control at the same time. Mind burning with the myriad of possible explanations for Jinwoo's ability to influence their leader, Ji curled up on his bedroll and pulled the blankets over his head. He would ask Jinwoo in the morning; maybe the delta could give him some advice on how to have a little more influence. 

 

Dawn. The cold hints of blue light melted slowly into the golden tones of the coming day as the werewolves began to stir. Jiyong was the first from his pack awake. Actually, that was not quite true. The brunette had never actually managed to fall asleep; his mind had been too caught up in what his perfect mate would be like to fully settle into sleep. He was perfectly able to imagine strong arms that would curl around him whenever life became too much and a husky voice that would tickle his ear every morning with a warm 'I love you' and bright eyes that would sparkle with hidden laughter. That, and he had considered just how he would manage to catch such a creature, which had lead to a three hour rumination on his talents (such as they were). By the time the morning had flickered into life, Jiyong was absolutely certain that if such an alpha or beta were to exist, he would find them and throw himself on their mercy. It would probably lead to him getting laughed at, sure, but it was always worth a shot. Anything would be better than letting such a dreamy mate slip through his slim fingers. Little did Jiyong realize, though, how soon such an opportunity would arise.

 

Just as the sun was peaking up behind the distant mountains, a warning cry sounded through the camp. Every alpha and beta worth their salt was immediately awake and at the ready, while the omegas and deltas instinctively looked for places to hide. Well, except Ji. He had something of a death wish, according to Taeyang, because whenever trouble arose he got so curious he couldn't help but linger to see what was going on. That day was no different. While the other lower ranked wolves crawled behind rocks or cowered behind a beta, Jiyong stood right near his bedroll and craned his neck in the direction the sentries had motioned towards. He squinted, trying to see what their keener eyes had caught sight of. There! In the distance and approaching fast was a band of five wolves - all unfamiliar and each with a pelt that shone with health. Jiyong gaped openly as they stopped just shy of the sentries and shifted into their two-legged forms. There was nothing gaunt or weak about these wolves: three of them looked like they could easily take Hong Man, and even the smallest of the group looked capable of taking down the likes of Siwon. In a word, they were breathtaking. If Jiyong got a second word, he would probably add terrifying to the list, since such strong wolves appearing out of nowhere at the start of the courtship season seemed like a bad omen.

 

Moving to Jiyong's side, Wooyoung let out a low whistle. "Would you look at them? I don't think I've ever seen wolves like that in all my life." Jiyong looked over at him with an upraised eyebrow. "Their fur, did you notice? It is so thick and long. I don't think there's a wolf in the basin with fur like that."

 

"Must mean they're from somewhere colder," Ji mused. "Fur like that gets a wolf killed in the desert." Wooyoung silently nodded his agreement. Both males were silently straining their ears - hoping to catch some shred of the conversation between the five basin alphas and the apparent leader of the unfamiliar wolves. But, at their distance, they were unable to hear so much as a murmur (much to both their disappointment). Their curiosity was not long left wanting, however, as soon Taeyang came walking back towards them, a frown etched heavily on his features. Wooyoung tipped his head to a curious angle and stepped forward, hand lifting to rest on Taeyang's shoulder. "What is it? Who are they?"

 

Jinwoo and Minki slowly crept over to stand beside Jiyong; they too were curious about the strangers. Taeyang licked his bottom lip before lifting his gaze to meet Wooyoung's. "They're from the north - a pack up beyond the mountains. They came because, well, apparently one of the old alphas once sent them an invitation to join the festivities. But they never decided to join us until they got a new leader, who thought some fresh blood in their pack might do them some good." There was something in Taeyang's voice that made Ji feel as though the world had flipped upside down: fear. Never in all his life had heard Taeyang speak with a distinct shiver of hesitation in his throat, as though he were unsettled by the events; Taeyang practically oozed confidence in everything he did. 

 

"Do you think they mean to hurt us?" Jinwoo asked, his eyes somehow even larger than normal.

 

Taeyang looked over at the petite wolf and gave him a strained smile. "They claim they come only to seek mates among our people, but I'm not certain. By the looks of them, they would be capable of taking out at least one of the packs, if they decided to get violent."

 

Brows knit with worry, Wooyoung looked over at the strange wolves - who had remained at the edge of camp waiting to be invited in. "They all look like alphas. Are they?"

 

Their leader shook his head. "Only two alphas. The biggest two are actually betas, which makes no sense. And their delta is bigger than some of the alphas here. I've never seen anything like it."

 

The wolves fell silent. Jiyong felt the first fingers of fear twist about in his stomach at the thought of his alphas being unable to protect him. Taeyang and Wooyoung were strong, certainly, but they would be no match for the strange wolves if they did decide to attack. And if Taeyang or Wooyoung died, their pack would fall prey to the likes of Hong Man. It was a terrifying realization: The relative security he had trusted in so completely was little more than a beautifully woven lie. Their safety could vanish at any moment, and all it would take was a swift crack of a neck or the tearing out of a throat. Just as Jiyong was about to get worked up into a full fit, Jinwoo braced his hands on his hips and stepped forward. "We should go introduce ourselves," the delta said, an unusually firm note in his voice. His packmates gaped at him. "If we introduce ourselves and seem friendly, then we'll be better off than if we are standoffish and antagonistic. Don't you think?" He raised a pointed eyebrow at Taeyang.

 

Clearing his throat, the alpha actually ducked his head a little. "We'll go introduce ourselves," he agreed. Yet again, Jiyong found himself watching Jinwoo with open admiration. He had no idea how the little wolf did it, but it was clear their leader was completely whipped by the doey delta. 

 

As they approached the northerners, Taeyang stood tall in an attempt to at least match the height of the other wolves. Covering his smile with one hand, Jiyong tried to not laugh at the ridiculous picture his leader made, strutting up to wolves who were easily three inches taller than him. The sound of their footsteps drew the unfamiliar wolves out of the conversation they had quietly been having, and the two large brunettes flashed them wide smiles. Taeyang stopped and eyed the strangers before inclining his head in greeting. "I am Taeyang, leader of the Sunburst pack. These are my eligible wolves." He gestured to the four behind him. "Wooyoung, my second in command. Minki, our young beta. Jinwoo, our delta. Jiyong, our omega." Each wolf inclined their head in turn.

 

Jiyong had expected the largest of the brunettes - a rather well-muscled creature with large ears and bright eyes - to speak for the pack. But, instead, he stepped aside in order to let a shorter wolf step forward. He had small eyes, the sort that made it seem as if he were perpetually squinting, and fluffy honey colored hair that seemed to curl lightly at the ends. At first glance, he seemed perhaps a bit small to be a leader (three of his wolves were taller than him) but there was a solidness to him, a groundedness, that bespoke of a greater power. He moved with the quiet confidence that Taeyang sometimes had to feign, the confidence of a born leader. The little brunette omega felt his mouth go dry as he took note of the rather well-muscled arms and powerful thighs he could just make out through the alpha's clothing. If his voice were perfect, Jiyong thought, he would think he was still lying on his bedroll dreaming of the ideal mate. And then the alpha spoke: "I am Daesung, leader of the Excelsior pack." Ji felt his knees go weak. The alpha's voice had a husky undertone that made his soft words practically melt into the ear, though there was a slight nasal quality that added a musicality that kept his tone from being flat. "These are two of my betas, Taecyeon and Chansung, and that is one of our deltas, Taekwoon." He then gestured with a broad palm towards the smallest member of the pack: A blond who was perhaps two inches shorter than Jinwoo. "And Amber, who is Goddess Touched." The little blond alpha gave them a cheeky grin and a wink.

 

"Really?" Jiyong could not help but blurt out, drawing the gaze of all nine other wolves. "You're Goddess Touched?"

 

The blond - Amber - nodded easily. "As sure as there's a sun in the sky," she laughed, her tone musical and warm. Stepping up to stand beside Daesung, she took a long moment to inspect Jiyong before meeting his wide gaze; her eyes twinkled with open impishness as she declared, "I think I'm going to like you." With that decided, she gave Daesung a playful little shove before moving forward to scent Taeyang and introduce herself better. Ji was flabbergasted. A real Goddess Touched wolf - here! Among their kind, there were very few who were unable to impregnate another wolf - most could both sire or carry a litter of pups. But some, the stories went, were so scared to the goddess that she blessed them with the path of pain, meaning that if they wished to have young they had to carry them. In return, the goddess gave them the ability to read omens and sometimes even see the future - looking directly into her mind coming easily to them because they understood her suffering on a personal level. The Sunburst pack had not had a Goddess Touched among them in nearly three generations, and only two were present at the courtship festival that year. To have a third was nearly enough to have Jiyong simultaneously running in circles and swooning off by himself. As a child, he had desperately wanted to be Goddess Touched, and he had told his parents every morning that one day the goddess would answer his prayer to undergo the change. But, it had never happened. For whatever reason, the goddess wanted Jiyong to remain as he was, but that did not diminish his respect for the Goddess Touched. If anything, it only increased his admiration of them and the desire to personally know one of them. 

 

While Amber introduced herself to the rest of the pack, Jiyong turned his attention back to the rest of the Excelsior wolves. Taecyeon was the biggest of them: He seemed to scrape the sky and was built like a rock - solid and broad. He looked as though he could easily break a wolf's spine in his large, powerful hands. His goofy smile and big ears, though, gentled his appearance, making him look more like an eager pup than a vicious killer. The other beta, Chansung, was nearly as tall, but he was more lithe. If Taecyeon was a built like a bear, then Chansung was a mountain cat in build. Chansung had a nice smile, though, one that curled at the ends and showed off his white teeth. Taekwoon was as tall as Chansung, even though he was a delta, but had a distinctly slim build, which made him look smaller than the two betas. His eyes were sharp and almost feline, as though he were constantly unimpressed by everything around him. But there, at the very edge of his lips, was a faint curl that suggested he had a very bright smile - when he was in the mood. And then there was Daesung. Beautiful, strong Daesung. He was not quite as tall as Chansung and Taekwoon, but he was easily the strongest looking among them. His muscles had such definition that Jiyong felt like he could count the wolf's abs through his shirt; whoever had put him in such a gloriously fitted top deserved the first pick from a kill. Better yet, though, Daesung wore the sort of easy smile that suggested he wore it often, and it seemed so genuine that it lit up his dark eyes. How could the omega have ever been frightened of such a wonderful being?

 

Jiyong let out a tiny, happy sigh as he continued to openly ogle the handsome alpha. The sudden sharp feeling of an elbow in his side drew Jiyong's attention back to Wooyoung, who was smirking at him. "Keep that up," he teased, "and he'll believe you think he's ugly, Ji."

 

The omega narrowed his eyes at his cousin. "Why do I even like you?"

 

Wooyoung laughed. "Because I am amazing? Obviously."

 

Reaching over, Jiyong gave him a light shove. "Shut your face. If you're too cocky, not even the weakest omega would take you for a mate. Mind your mouth."

 

"I love you too, Ji," the alpha laughed. 

 

At that moment, Jiyong caught an amazing scent - the likes of which he had never caught before. It carried an undertone of pine and sun and a musk that belonged to one distinct person: Daesung. Or so Jiyong found out when he turned to look at the handsome alpha, who had just stepped up to speak to them. Instinctively, the omega slipped just behind Wooyoung, allowing him to stand between him and the other alpha. In the basin, it was considered rude for an omega to be too near to an unknown alpha - as though they could somehow contaminate another wolf with their inherent weakness. Daesung tipped his head slightly to the side at the gesture, which made him look like a curious puppy. It was only too imagine twin ears perking up from his hair - turning towards Jiyong and Wooyoung. "Hello," the alpha murmured, his voice even more enthralling at such a close distance. The moment felt warm and intimate, even though it was just a friendly greeting. 

 

Jiyong nudged Wooyoung gently in the ribs. Taking the hint, his cousin nodded to the alpha. "Hello," he said brightly. "You're Daesung, right?"

 

The other alpha nodded, an easy grin turning his lips. "I am. And you're Wooyoung." His gaze turned to rest on Jiyong, making the slim wolf hide his mouth shyly behind one hand. "And you're Jiyong."

 

Wooyoung raised an eyebrow at the way Daesung's eyes lingered on Jiyong's form. "Yep," he said, allowing the 'p' to pop between his lips. "I'm Wooyoung. And he's Jiyong. My cousin. An omega." It was only too easy to see that neither wolf was paying attention to him; they were too busy watching each other. 

 

Rolling his eyes, Wooyoung considered starting to tell embarrassing stories about Jiyong, just to see if the omega noticed. The brunette was saved, however, by the larger beta - Taecyeon - moving over to sling his arm around Daesung's shoulders. "Hey, beautiful," he said - eyes on Wooyoung and voice a little too loud. 

 

If it was possible, Wooyoung's eyebrow rose even further. The beta had a cheeky sort of grin on his lips, as though he expected Wooyoung to swoon at the attention being paid to him. Ha! As if that were going to happen. Folding his arms across his chest, Wooyoung let his lips draw into a thin line as he let his gaze roam openly over Taecyeon's figure. The wolf preened at the attention, running his free hand through his thick, black hair. But Wooyoung made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded bored, making the taller wolf deflate with a pout. "Jiyong, we should go clean up camp," Wooyoung drawled, his tone far dryer than it had been when greeting Daesung. 

 

Blinking as though he were coming out of a trance, Jiyong turned to look over at his cousin with wide, doey eyes. "Hm?" His brain then seemed to process what Wooyoung had said, and the omega ducked his head in a show of submissiveness. "Oh, right. Camp." One sluggish step after another drew him away from Daesung, though he waited until the last possible moment turn finally tear his eyes away from the handsome alpha. And then, like a good wolf, he scurried off to help clean. Wooyoung shot Taecyeon one last glare before turning to follow after him.

 

"He doesn't seem to like you much, does he?" Daesung murmured, a laugh hiding in his voice. 

 

Taecyeon sighed - the sound torn between a moan of despair and a breathless chuckle. "Yeah. Seems so." He gave Daesung's shoulder a friendly squeeze. "Isn't he gorgeous?"

 

Daesung shrugged a little. "He's not bad," he agreed easily. "Not quite my type, though."

 

The beta scoffed. "How could he not be your type? There is literally nothing wrong with him." He hesitated. "Though he looks better when he's smiling. Why'd he smile at you but not at me?"

 

A bit of a smirk turned Daesung's lips as he looked up at Taecyeon. "I would think the answer is obvious, Taec." He gave him a playful shove. "I'm better looking than you!"


	2. Chasing the Sun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would just like to preface this chapter by apologizing for my rap writing skills. I am not nor will I ever be a rapper, and yet Jiyong insisted. So...there you go.

 

Hakyeon sighed softly as he watched the Sunburst pack approach the strange wolves. His keen eyes took in the way the leader seemed to follow the little omega, and he even noted how the large-eared brunette seemed to swoon over the Sunburst alpha. It was odd: Their behavior was so different from the basin wolves. Glancing down at the little delta at his side, Hakyeon just resisted the frown that tried to twist his lips. He wished Kyungsoo, with his owl eyes and broken heart, had been lucky enough to be born into a pack like these strangers seemed to have. “They seem nice,” the alpha offered in a gentle undertone. “More like my home pack than the wolves here.” Kyungsoo did not even blink. He just stared and stared. Like he always did. Gently, Hakyeon placed a hand on the slope of the small redhead’s shoulder. “Would you like to go meet them?” There was a long silence – only filled by the sound of their breathing and the shifting of the sand beneath their feet – before the chains dangling from Kyungsoo’s ear clinked together as he nodded.

Letting out a slow breath, Hakyeon managed a small smile. “Alright. Let’s go meet them, then.” His hand slipped from the delta’s shoulder before he started across the sand, confident that Yongguk would not mind them introducing themselves. After all, Yongguk had said time and again that they could use any friends they could get. Five big wolves who didn’t know their past were good candidates for allies, even if they were from far, far away.

As they approached, all five of the foreign wolves looked over at them – sharp eyes assessing them in mere moments. Three of the strangers returned to their conversations, but two of them seemed more interested in the approach of the NeverNoon wolves. Hakyeon brushed his arm against Kyungsoo’s in a comforting gesture before the delta tucked his body mostly behind the alpha’s – watching the two strangers approach with wide eyes and bated breath. The taller one – a beta based on the mark on his hand – greeted them with a bobbing nod and a bright smile. “Hello, hello!” He bowed to Hakyeon before turning his bright gaze on Kyungsoo. Something in his smile gentled when he noticed the way the smaller wolf was practically trembling. “I’m Chansung.”

Reaching back, Hakyeon gave Kyungsoo’s hand a reassuring squeeze. He was surprised to feel the redhead’s fingers tightly wind with his, but he supposed of anyone Kyungsoo had good cause to be nervous around unfamiliar wolves. Hakyeon pasted on a toothy smile and bowed his head to the larger wolves. “I am Hakyeon, and this is Kyungsoo. We’re from the NeverNoon pack.” Kyungsoo managed a tiny nod, though it was mostly hidden by Hakyeon’s shoulder.

At that moment, the other foreigner stepped into view and let his gaze wander lightly over Hakyeon’s rather fine figure. He was tall – just a little bit taller than Hakyeon – with sleepy eyes that seemed narrowed in either judgment or boredom. But, there was a warmth in the darkness of his eyes that suggested the coldness of his expression was simply the set of his face rather than a feeling burning his soul. There was even a tiny smile curling the edge of his pouty lips that hinted at possible excitement at being able to meet new wolves. He glanced pointedly up at Chansung, who was too distracted staring at Kyungsoo to notice the gesture. A frown flickered across the slighter man’s features, and he cleared his throat in a way that was surprisingly demure. Chansung started and turned towards him. “Oh!” The beta laughed. “This is one of our deltas, Taekwoon.” He slung an arm around Taekwoon’s shoulders and gave him a tight hug.

Hakyeon was surprised, to say the least. He would have expected the jetty haired wolf to have been at least a beta, if not an alpha like himself, based on both his size and the strength that seemed to coil through his lean muscles. Taekwoon was all quiet grace and understated power; Hakyeon had no doubt he could do well against most of the basin wolves if push came to shove. But he was a delta? Hakyeon glanced down at the wolf’s long, slim hand and saw the tell-tale curve of the delta symbol in bold black on the skin there. So it was true. His gaze lifted to meet Taekwoon’s once more, and the other wolf ducked his head shyly. Hakyeon chuckled a little and said simply, “It’s nice to meet you, Taekwoon. Kyungsoo is a delta, too.” This time, it was Chansung’s turn to look surprised.

“You are?” the brunette asked, his gaze still locked on Kyungsoo. After a breath of hesitation, the shorter delta nodded. A wide smile turned Chansung’s face, making it look as though his face might very well split from the gesture. “That’s really excellent!” Somehow, Kyungsoo managed to widen his eyes even more, which made Chansung freeze. “Don’t… you think so?

“I do,” Hakyeon cut in. “My favorites are all deltas, personally.” He gave Kyungsoo’s hand another little squeeze. “Like Soo. He’s a bit quiet, but he’s a great cook and knows a lot about medicine. He keeps me from getting into too much trouble.” A warm smile turned Hakyeon’s lips as he gazed down at Kyungsoo, an obvious fondness in the gesture that made both of the Excelsior wolves furrow their brows.

“Sounds like he and Taekwoon have a good bit in common, then,” Chansung said almost pensively. “At least the quiet and a good cook bits, anyway. We tend to bring Taekwoon on hunting trips for more than just his crazy strategizing: He can cook deer perfectly. It practically melts in your mouth.”

Hakyeon looked up at the now blushing delta, who was hiding his face behind his beautiful hands. The alpha chuckled softly. “Well, maybe before you guys go, Taekwoon and Kyungsoo will have to cook together. I bet the meal they’d come up with would be enough to make us cry with happiness.”

Sticking out his chest, Chansung stood a little taller. “I’d happily hunt down something for them to cook.” He even seemed to flex his arms, as though demonstrating just how capable he would be at such a task. “I’m one of our best hunters.” Kyungsoo did not even take the proffered opportunity to ogle, though Hakyeon certainly did not bother to resist such a delicious offering – it never hurt to look. Taekwoon frowned.

“I’m sure that’d be an exciting adventure,” Hakyeon offered simply. “So, did you lot come to find mates?” He tipped his head cutely to one side and gave them another smile.

Chansung opened his mouth to answer, but a sudden soft voice cut in with, “Yes. Amber said we would find our mates here.” Hakyeon blinked and looked at Taekwoon. He had squared his shoulders and spoken firmly though quietly. His voice was melodic and sweet, like the perfect morning bird song. The sound of it ringing in his ears made Hakyeon melt a little; he had never heard anything so pretty in all his life.

“Oh,” he said somewhat stupidly, still grinning at Taekwoon. “Well… that’d be good. Mates are good.” He nodded slowly as his brain struggled to catch up with what was going on in that moment. “Will you take your mates with you or remain?”

Fanning his fingers out in front of his face, Taekwoon apparently seemed to be done with speaking, which made Hakyeon a bit sad. He had enjoyed listening to the quiet delta’s voice so very much. Chansung, though, at least still had his powers of speech: “Our plan had been to take our mates back to the mountains.” His gaze took in the faint hollowing of Kyungsoo’s cheeks and the very prominent jut of Hakyeon’s collarbones beneath his shirt. “In the mountains, we have a good prey source and good crops. Our home has a great deal to offer a potential mate.”

Hakyeon felt Kyungsoo’s fingers loosen their grip – just a little – as the small delta poked his head around his packmate’s arm. He hesitated, licking the curve of his lower lip, before murmuring, “You live far away?”

Chansung sighed at the surprisingly low, rich sound of Kyungsoo’s voice. “Yeah. The mountains,” he pointed to their distant shape, “separate our territories. It took us a solid week to journey here. Though, I guess we did take our sweet time about it.” He shrugged. “We could probably make it in four days if we really pushed ourselves.”

The beta’s words seemed to light the sparks of life in Kyungsoo’s large eyes, as though he had explained how the moon had come to hang in the velvet darkness of the sky. Another step forward brought the petite delta fully into the view of the foreign wolves, and the faint shadow of a smile seemed to edge its way onto the heart-shaped line of his lips. “Is your home very pretty?”

Hakyeon watched as the two wolves fell into conversation – concern for the redhead apparent on his features. He did not understand what interest the delta might have in the beta’s home or the distance it was from – no. His thoughts stopped short. The alpha understood perfectly why Kyungsoo was so interested in the wolf’s mountain home.  During his time in the Red Rock pack, the quiet delta had undergone the worst of Hong Man’s punishments, and the pale surface of his skin was a record of every nightmare he had lived through. Escaping to the mountains, even if it meant taking a mate he knew nothing about, would give him the security and peace of mind he would never find while dwelling in the basin. It was perhaps mercenary – to offer his body for safety – but Hakyeon could never blame Kyungsoo for making such a choice. If it meant that the shadows would abate in his eyes and his smile would return, Hakyeon would sell himself to the mountain wolves to help the little redhead.

But, the alpha did not think it would come to that. These wolves had a brightness to their auras that made him believe they were true and kind, not like some of the packs he had met during his travels. If Kyungsoo asked, it was likely they would take him with them, even if he were not mated to one of their pack. A tiny smile teased Hakyeon’s lips as he watched Kyungsoo listen to the beta speak. There was a look of such perfect attentiveness on the redhead’s face that it seemed as though Chansung were telling him why the sun hung in the sky and how the stars kept their nightly dance across the sky instead of detailing what the forest was like at his home. And, oh, Chansung. Hakyeon just resisted shaking his head at the absolutely besotted look on Chansung’s face. His eyes sparkled as he gazed down at Kyungsoo, and he seemed to have a permanent smile twisting his lips. It almost seemed as though the beta shone from within with the purest of delight as Kyungsoo spoke to him – as though he had found his everything. If the delta wanted to escape the basin, Hakyeon mused, he would be in the best of hands: Chansung would cherish and protect him, and perhaps even be able to win his heart.

Among the basin wolves, though, winning your mate’s heart was not the true concern. No, a mate was simply a partner – someone who seemed to be a good match in strength and talent. There was no love in it. It was how mates could be selected in a mere week instead of following a truer course of months of friendship or the tender courtship of a lover. The courtship festival itself was mostly comprised of demonstrating what made you a worthy mate, selling yourself to the watchful eyes of betas and alphas who might deign to take a talented enough partner. Jiyong assumed the mountain wolves followed a similar system, and so he had no idea how he would convince the handsome mountain alpha that he had skills that would make him a worthy mate. A willing heart did not make up for the things that Jiyong lacked as a wolf. He was just an omega with so little to offer that it was practically laughable. But, he still had to try. The way Daesung had smiled at him had been burned so firmly into the sinew and muscle of Jiyong’s heart that he had to try.

Traditionally, the omegas were the first allowed to demonstrate their skills, such as they were, for potential mates. It was believed that the only way an omega could be a worthy partner was if they made such a lasting impression that the higher ranks managed to remember after every other wolf had shown their skills. Putting them first in the line up allowed the passage of time to obscure the most pitiful omega offerings and allow the truly great to shine – or so the story went. In some ways, Jiyong was grateful to go early. If he caught Daesung’s eye right away, perhaps the handsome wolf would continue to think about him throughout the week. And, if Ji were really lucky, the alpha would seek his company throughout the coming days – get to know him better. If he went on the last day, the chance of that happening was less likely.

When the call came for a volunteer to go first, Jiyong shot his hand up. Taeyang gave him a funny look; he had thought the omega was not going to participate that year. But, the alpha offered his packmate a tiny nod of encouragement. A wide, gummy smile turned Jiyong’s lips before he moved to stand before Zhoumi, who was acting as the coordinator for that year’s festival. “What talent do you want to show?” the Golden Moon alpha asked.

Ducking his head and keeping his eyes down, Jiyong murmured, “I have prepared a rap to perform.” He had even been able to convince Wooyoung to play the drum and provide a beat for his rap, so it would perhaps sound a little better.

Zhoumi shrugged. “Alright. We’ll go to the amphitheater, and we will start with any performance pieces.”

Once all of the wolves, including the Excelsior pack, were assembled on the hewn stone benches within the amphitheater, Jiyong made his way to the center of the smooth sand stage. Wooyoung settled down on a log behind him with a drum tucked easily between his legs. The alpha began to play the beat Jiyong had asked for, moving with a steady confidence that belied how often he had played for his packmates. After a deep breath, Jiyong began to rap, his words accented with a nasal style he had developed through years of piecing words together:

 

> “I told myself a lie
> 
> That no one could love someone so weak
> 
> A broken soul, battered evermore;
> 
> But, then you came to me like the sunshine
> 
>  
> 
> “My heart, it beat
> 
> For the first time in seasons
> 
> Like the fledging of a bird
> 
> In the summer of your smile.
> 
>  
> 
> “Oh, there’s no strength in
> 
> Me or much to offer you
> 
> Just my heart – a trinket
> 
> Woven within moonlight and despair
> 
> But if you let me
> 
> I would cherish you, care for you.
> 
>  
> 
> “Oh, I would fight for you to
> 
> The last ache in my hollow bones
> 
> Run to the stars, Chase the sun
> 
> Across the skies to be worthy of your love
> 
>  
> 
> “Heal my heart, let me live,
> 
> Let me breathe in the
> 
> Sunshine of your heart
> 
> So I can become the one worthy to
> 
> Stand at your side – now and always.”

 

When Jiyong finished his performance, the omega let out a slow breath. Art forms like rap and dance were not particularly accepted in their community - many of the alphas considered them to be too radical - but Taeyang had never minded. If anything, he supported the arts, because he loved to dance and sing. There was even something of a joke that the Sunburst wolves were obsessed with the stage because of how many of them were performers by trade. But rap - oh, that had been a choice. Jiyong knew it was a risk, because perhaps Daesung would hate it, but it he had to try. Rap was where his thoughts became clear; it was his gift. Of course, if he had more time to prepare the rap would have been better, but the brunette was pleased with his efforts, such as they were. And as Jiyong looked out across the gathered wolves, his gaze fell upon the handsome planes of Daesung's face. A blush rose on the surface of Jiyong's skin. Daesung was beaming at him as though he had single-handedly hung every cloud and lit each star in the sky. It was the breathtaking sort of look that made the world seem to narrow in on just them: their souls speaking across the distance. The muscle and sinew of Jiyong's heart tightened, and the air stuttered to a halt in his lungs. He dared flash the handsome alpha a shy little smile before slipping off to sit among his packmates, head ducked low to hide the flush on his skin.

The scant few other omegas also present that day – Suho and Jinyoung – also presented their skills. Suho showed off the fine embroidery he had done on a series of garments, even though members of his pack were not particularly known for taking mates from outside of their ranks, and Jinyoung demonstrated his ability to build a very secure shelter very quickly. Being from the NeverNoon pack, Jinyoung had learned quickly how to build safety from whatever supplies were on hand; when a sandstorm came, it was a matter of life or death whether or not a wolf had somewhere to hide. Of the assembled alphas and betas, though, few seemed impressed with either offering. Pretty embroidery and a quick shelter were nice, perhaps, but they were not strong hunting skills or healing craft. Jiyong was nervous – frightfully so – that his completely impractical talent for rap would serve to drive away the alpha he was interested in as well. It would be understandable, of course, if Daesung were to go for someone like Sulli, who was a Goddess Touched beta, or even an alpha like Hakyeon instead. Daesung deserved a mate who was worthy of him and possessed the skills necessary to keep a litter of pups alive in their cruel world.

And yes, Jiyong could not help but hope that Daesung would not be like the other alphas. That somewhere, perhaps not so deep inside, there was a part of Daesung that wanted love and happiness more than another pair of strong hands around the home. It was a tiny flicker of hope that made the omega hang back as the packs moved towards the communal dinner – all in the attempt to fall into step with Daesung. He had just never expected it to actually work.

When Daesung appeared at his side, Jiyong just about fell over, even though he was walking. He managed to keep his balance, though, and only stumbled a few steps before making something of a recovery. Daesung, precious creature that he was, reached out to place a steadying hand on Jiyong’s elbow. “Are you alright?” he murmured, concern reflecting in his warm, dark eyes.

A hasty bob of a nod was issued. “Yeah. I was just surprised to see you,” Jiyong confessed.

“Oh.” Daesung’s gaze wandered over the planes of Jiyong’s face as he contemplated that answer. “Surprised in a bad way?”

Jiyong laughed shyly and gave his head a tiny shake. “No. In a good way.”

The omega was absolutely stunned when he noticed what appeared to be the beginning of a blush working its way across the surface of Daesung’s skin. He briefly wondered if alphas were even physically capable of blushing, but that train of thought was interrupted by the object of his scrutiny: “Oh,” Daesung said, “I guess that’s a good thing. To be surprised in a, uh, good way.” He cleared his throat and jammed a hand through his soft, honey-hued hair. “Um, I really enjoyed your rap. Earlier. It was – well, I mean…” He sighed. “I liked it.”

Smiling softly, Jiyong glanced down at where Daesung’s hand still rested on his elbow. “Thank you very much. I am glad someone appreciates it. Not many do here in the basin.”

Noticing where his hand still was, Daesung let it drop to hang at his side. “We have some,” he said after a pause. “Rappers, I mean. It’s actually considered a great skill in my pack, because we use music to keep our oral traditions alive. In fact, when I left Yoongi was nearly finished with his rap about how the goddess split the moon into light and dark. And I think Wonsik was just starting a project of some kind.”

Jiyong’s eyes lit up. “You have rappers in your pack?” The omega sighed with open envy. “That must be so nice. We have Wooyoung and Taeyang – who dance – and Jinwoo sings. But I had to teach myself to rap. When I was little, we had a rapper named Tablo who spent a summer living with our pack, and I learned everything I could from him before he left. I wanted to be able to perform like him, when I grew up.”

“Wait, Tablo?” Daesung chuckled. “I think he actually settled with a pack just east of mine. At least, if it is the same Tablo, he’s been there for a couple of years – has a mate and everything.”

Jiyong’s face lit up for what felt like the hundredth time. “Really? I wonder if he would even remember me; it was so long ago. I wish I could tell him how much his friendship meant to me.”

In a movement that was almost too small to detect, Daesung brushed his shoulder against Jiyong’s. “I am sure he remembers you. If you were that passionate about rap, he probably even would recognize you on sight.”

A pleasant blush rose up on the omega’s features, but he did not quite dare to return the shoulder brush – just in case it had been accidental. “Maybe.”

Daesung licked his bottom lip. “If you got the chance to cross the mountains, you’d be a lot more likely to find out,” he said, glancing at the brunette from the corner of his eye.

Something of a rueful smile twisted the line of Jiyong’s lips as he said, “I don’t know that I’d ever be able to cross the mountains, though, even if I wanted to. I’m just an omega. I’ll be lucky if I ever get a mate, let alone one who would be up for that sort of adventure.”

The alpha’s steps slowed. “Why don’t you think you’ll get a mate, Jiyong? You talk as though you are a shriveled elder or something.”

Jiyong drug to a stop – examining how his shoes looked against the rust-hued dirt beneath his feet. “I’m an omega,” he repeated. “I might as well be a shriveled elder.”

A sudden weight on Jiyong’s shoulder drew his gaze up to rest on the hand Daesung had placed on his shoulder. “I think any alpha would be lucky to have a mate like you, Jiyong. You seem to have a good heart and a lot of passion. Those mean a lot more than muscle mass to me.” He gave Jiyong’s shoulder one last squeeze before loping over to where his pack waited. Jiyong silently gaped at the other wolf’s retreating back. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to melt into the floor.


	3. A Puzzling Situation

 

Being goddess touched was a burden. Amber made no pretenses of hiding that simple fact from her pack; if anything, she made it abundantly clear the moment she had refused to take over as pack leader when her alpha father had passed away the previous spring. Rather than try to lead the pack, Amber had taken up the mantle of the shaman – a position that had not been filled in three generations. The call of the goddess had been strong, and Amber knew it was her rightful place in the pack. As shaman she could commune with the goddess and seek wisdom to help the new alpha guide the Excelsior wolves in the right direction. It had not surprised Amber that Daesung was chosen to be the new alpha: He was steady and calm, smart and thoughtful, kind and considerate – everything a true follower of the goddess was. But perhaps best of all, he was willing to listen.

When mating season had begun to draw near, Daesung had approached Amber for guidance. He did not feel as though his mate were among those in the northern packs, but he did not know where else to look. Unlike the basin wolves, the northern packs held tight to the ancient belief that each wolf had a true love somewhere out in the wide world waiting for them, and Daesung was determined to do his best to find his other half. But, it was not a simple task. Amber had sought the counsel of the goddess for three weeks straight – barely sleeping or eating the entire time – until at last the answer came: South. Daesung’s eyes had gone wide when Amber had told him the goddess’ command to travel towards the desert; the northern wolves had not crossed the mountains in generations, ever since the Blood Moon Wars. To go south was to tread into potentially dangerous waters, even though they had once been invited to attend the courtship festivals by one of the basin alphas. The risk, though, seemed to be worth it.

A tiny smile played across Amber’s lips as she watched Daesung speak to the slender omega at his side. Daesung was laughing easily and had even begun to speak with his hands – a sure sign he was deeply engaged in the conversation. It seemed that the goddess had known precisely what sort of mate would capture the alpha’s interest, and it was an omega no less! Her friend was a lucky creature. The one puzzle Aber could not figure out was just what the goddess had in store for her. Taecyeon, Chansung, and Taekwoon had all originally come to protect their leader (a fair concern in such uncertain climes), but Amber had been specifically commanded to go for an altogether different purpose.  

It was this mystery – this unknown purpose – that had brought Amber along with the other four. She had wanted to chase down the answer to the riddle the goddess had given her: A promise that Amber would find her beginning and her end, the warmth of the sun and the chill of the spring streams, in the slopping wastes of the desert. Amber had been blessed with an unhealthy curiosity, so she had come, even when there had been an outcry among the pack. To have both the alpha and the shaman go on an adventure to enemy territory was admittedly not the wisest decision, but Daesung had agreed without even asking Amber why she wanted to come. He had simply trusted that Amber would not put the pack in peril without just cause. She loved him for the quiet strength of his faith; it was a pity they would be awful mates, otherwise she would have tried to woo him herself.

Amber was of course so distracted in her thoughts of home that she nearly missed the answer to her riddle. He was not a particularly impressive figure: There was something about his quiet presence that made the eye slip over him and on to the next wolf. Everything from his small, cresented eyes to the breadth of his nose made him seem rather ordinary, especially compared to the more distinct features of the rest of the Golden Moon wolves. Oh, it wasn’t that he was ugly or anything like that – far from it – but he was just …. not extraordinary. At least, not in the eyes of most wolves. But not every wolf could sense the aura and gaze right into the heart of someone else. Amber could. Being goddess touched meant she could see those things and more, goddess willing. And in her eyes, he was breathtaking in a way few wolves in the basin were.

His copper hair, so ordinary among his people, glittered with the golden light of a bright spirit; it was as though his inner light manifested in the refracted gilding of his body. And at the edge of his mouth seemed to tease a perpetual smile – the shadow of joy constantly dogging his steps. He reminded her, in a way, of some of her favorite pups from home, Jackson and Jimin. Both of the little pups could be loud and had a tendency to clamor for attention, but it was often because they were so desperate to be loved. Amber’s father had joked that Jimin and Jackson had been born with hearts too big for their chests, and that their actions were simply an attempt to share their tremendous love with those they cared for. They also had the precious ability to make even the most dour wolf smile, because it was as though they embodied the warmth of the sun in their bodies. This stranger, with his shy smile and beautiful soul, seemed to be much the same. It made her skin practically crawl with the electric desire to speak to him, to see if his heart was the treasure it seemed to be at first glance. 

And Amber was not the sort to hold back. Holding her head high, the golden-haired alpha walked directly up to the handsome delta and flashed him her most winsome smile. “Hey gorgeous,” she said, her low voice reverberating with a warmth that bespoke of familiarity.

Confused to hear himself so addressed, the delta looked at her with wide, dark eyes. He glanced around to see if one of the betas or alphas from his pack were nearby, but they had already vanished into the dining hall. A brief frown flittered across his face – he was torn between the dictates of propriety and the charming Goddess Touched wolf in front of him – before he gave a mental shrug. It was not his fault his pack had abandoned him, right? And it would be rude to ignore someone of such a high status. So, he returned her smile with one of his own. “Hello.” And to at least make it a little more formal, he bowed a little to her.

“I’m Amber,” she said, somehow managing to wiggle a little closer to him. “From the Excelsior pack – the one from over the mountains.”

He nodded a little. “I know. I mean, I heard about you – your pack – from our alpha. And I knew I didn’t recognize you, so you had to be from the north.” Running a hand through his hair, he shifted his weight from foot to foot. Normally when he was nervous he clammed up, but there was something about the beautiful alpha in front of him that made his mouth run and run. “Um, I’m Henry.”

“Henry?” Another wide, toothy grin split her lips. “I like it. Say, Henry, can I ask you an important question?” Unable to look away from her bright brown eyes, the delta managed a tiny nod. “Is anyone courting you?”

He gaped at her. “Excuse me?”

“You know, trying to woo you. Court you. Convince you to share the rest of your life with them?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Oh.” Henry felt a blush rising over the arches of his cheekbones. “No. I’m just a delta.”

Amber’s eyes practically sparkled. “Excellent. I hope, then, that you will consider me as a potential mate.”

“W-what?”

The alpha reached out to place a light hand on the back of his elbow. “Henry,” she said, a laugh hiding in her voice, “I want to be your mate. If you’ll let me.”

Pure shock made his brain stop. An alpha – a Goddess Touched alpha – had just proposed matehood to him within the first minute of meeting. Had he fallen and hit his head? “B-but we just met.”

She nodded. “I know.” His arm was given a little squeeze. “That’s why I asked you to consider me. Maybe we could get to know each other better while you think about it?” But, for Amber, she did not need to know him better. His aura had told her what kind of mate he would be – kind, playful, thoughtful, and occasionally romantic – and she could feel the deep-seated tug of rightness between them. The goddess was being very clear that this delta, with his soft features and befuddled smile, was the answer to Amber’s prayers. All that remained was to convince dear Henry that she was a good mate, and then they could be as close as the moon and sky.

“…Oh.” Henry shook his head a little, but the cheerful little alpha did not disappear from his view. She was still standing there with an expectant expression on her features. “Alright, I guess.” He blinked. “If that’s what you really want?”

Amber laughed brightly and grabbed his hand. “Of course it’s what I want!” She started to tug him in the direction of the dining hall. “Mind if we sit with my pack? You should know them if you’re going to get to know me. If you do become my mate – like I hope you will – you’d have to come with us. They can’t spare me, since I’m the pack shaman. But our home is really beautiful. Really different from here, but not in a bad way. Lots of trees and water, which is really excellent.” Stupefied by the entire thing, Henry just allowed the cheerful alpha to drag him along behind her, as though he were the tail to her comet. Just what had he agreed to?

The Excelsior wolves certainly made an impression on the basin wolves: The northern pack seemed to have a complete disregard for the social norm (alphas were not supposed to openly flirt with unchaperoned omegas and deltas); they spouted nonsense about love; and, their part of the camp was alive with singing and loud conversation until the stars were bright in the evening sky. Some of the more traditional alphas thought their behavior was disgusting, but the majority of the wolves simply found the northerners fascinating. And, well, some of the wolves found them perhaps more than a little fascinating.

After spending the evening with the basin wolves, Henry found himself seriously considering demonstrating some skill or another the next day. If Amber did want to court him, then it did seem like his duty to show her that he was worthy of her attention. And the Golden Moon pack did at least value their deltas enough to actually let them pursue their interests – that was something. He sought advice from Zhoumi, who had simply shrugged and told him to do what he thought was best. Sighing, the copper-haired wolf had then sought advice from some of his other packmates. Luhan had been surprised but encouraging – telling Henry to chase that tail. Leehom had not believed that an alpha would pursue the delta as a mate, and so he had warned Henry to be careful. And Tao… Well, Tao had been extremely excited and squealed for all he was worth. He had grabbed Henry in a tight hug and started rambling about how they would have such beautiful babies together. While perhaps not a source of great wisdom, Tao’s enthusiasm did at least serve to make Henry feel better about the situation. After all, the idea of mating with the charismatic blond alpha was very appealing; they would have very cute babies.

While Henry was searching the depths of his soul, other deltas were trying to figure out what skills could possibly win them mates. It was early in the morning when Taekwoon stole over to the NeverNoon pack’s portion of the camp – his black eyes sharp in the darkness. He paused as the pack leader, Yongguk, gave him a wary look, but then the other wolf went back to coaxing the banked flames of their campfire back to life. Taking that as a signal he could enter, Taekwoon made his way through their camp towards where Hakyeon sat on a log, curled up in a blanket with Kyungsoo. As the delta approached, pair of wolves looked up: Hakyeon in muddled morning surprise and Kyungsoo in wary interest. Taekwoon hesitated. None of his packmates were there to speak for him, and so he had to muster all of his courage to find the words on his own. Licking his bottom lip, he finally managed to murmur, “Kyungsoo, can I speak to you?”

There was a long pause – only the distant sound of Yongguk muttering to the sputtering flames filling the immediate vicinity – before Kyungsoo gave a little nod. Hakyeon carefully folded the blanket back so the other wolf could slip free, and Kyungsoo rose to his feet. In that moment, Hakyeon’s gaze met Taekwoon’s, and in it was a simple warning: Take care of him. Taekwoon nodded slightly before walking over to the edge of their camp, the redheaded delta following some distance behind him. When the pair at last came to a stop, Taekwoon turned and murmured something Hakyeon could not hear from where he sat. Kyungsoo nodded before replying, his voice equally soft. The taller delta then turned, pointing off towards his own camp, before saying something else to the other wolf. A tiny smile turned Taekwoon’s lips when Kyungsoo nodded again, and the two then parted ways. Hakyeon blinked. It was a bit anticlimactic, all told. When Kyungsoo returned, the alpha held open the blanket once more, allowing the redhead to snuggle back up to him. “What did he want?”

Kyungsoo blinked up at Hakyeon. “We’re going to help each other.” He shrugged a little. “You’ll see.”

If there was one thing Hakyeon was bad at, it was waiting. He was the sort that liked answers right away – otherwise his imagination came in with all too colorful alternatives that ended up making the real answer seem a bit pitiful. But, Kyungsoo was adamant that Hakyeon would wait. And so he waited And waited. And waited. As lunch drew closer, the alpha slunk over to pester the redheaded delta when a sudden raucous at the edge of camp drew his attention. Never one to turn down a distraction, Hakyeon loped over in time to see the two Excelsior betas – Chansung and … Taecyeon? – returning from what appeared to be a successful hunt. The larger male, Taecyeon, appeared to have a wild boar draped across his back while Chansung carried an antelope. Suddenly every wolf in the area was interested in what the two were up to; the famine brought out the wildness in all the packs.

The betas both approached their alpha, who chuckled and brushed his hands lightly over both of their heads. Hakyeon nodded a little to himself; it was right and proper that subordinates should offer their kill to their alpha first. But then the pair turned away from Daesung. Were he in his wolf form, his ears would be lifted in attention as he watched them break apart. Taecyeon frolicked – yes, frolicked – over to an alpha from the Sunburst pack and bowed his head a little. Hakyeon linked. He was surprised: The beta was making a very early courting gesture by making a kill in honor of the seemingly unimpressed alpha. There was a pause before the brunette nodded, a sign that he would at least consider the offer, and Taecyeon then turned, bounding back to where his pack stood. He dropped the boar in front of the sweet voiced Taekwoon, who nodded slightly. In a display of strength, Taekwoon hefted the boar over a shoulder and started for the communal kitchen. Chansung, meanwhile, was wending his way through the salivating wolves towards the NeverNoon pack. At Hakyeon’s side, he felt Kyungsoo stiffen as the beta came to a halt before them. The delta locked gazes with the large wolf for a split second before Chansung bowed his head in a sign of submission.

Hakyeon’s jaw dropped.

Typically, wolves only bowed their heads to a wolf of superior rank – like how Taecyeon had showed submission to the alphas. For a beta to show submission to a delta was utterly bewildering. The alpha looked around and, yep, everyone was gaping at the strange display. But, Kyungsoo squared his shoulders and took a sliding step forward. He lifted one of his pale hands and placed it lightly on the rounded bridge of Chansung’s muzzle. The delta’s hand looked stark against the beta’s dark coat, but this close Hakyeon could see that beneath the black was a silver undercoat. It was as though Chansung’s coat was frosted in darkness rather than being strictly black, and it offset the happiness shining in his bright brown eyes so nicely. Shifting, he stepped back a little and inclined his head towards the kitchen area. Kyungsoo nodded and placed a hand on Chansung’s shoulder. The pair began the journey towards where Taekwoon had begun to butcher the boar; Chansung’s large body shielding Kyungsoo from sight.

When Chansung and Kyungsoo arrived at the kitchen area, the beta dropped the antelope onto the table for the delta. A small nod was exchanged before the redhead rounded the preparation table – grabbing a couple of knives as he went. It was then that Kyungsoo and Taekwoon began to demonstrate their talents. Hakyeon could only describe the process in one way: Their knives flew through the process of butchering the two carcasses, and soon bone was cleanly parted from flesh. Taekwoon paused as he was working, glancing up at the wolves who had gathered to watch the pair’s demonstration, and let a tiny flicker smile twitch its way onto his lips when he noticed that Hakyeon had drifted closer to his part of the station. He selected a bit of meat that was too fatty for the preparation he had in mind and held it out to the handsome alpha. Hakyeon hesitated – he was not exactly high enough ranking to really merit first taste of a kill – but the small nod from Taekwoon had him stepping forward. The ghost of a smile returned to Taekwoon’s lips even as his eyes glimmered – his happiness lived in his eyes rather than in his smiles – and he carefully placed the offering in Hakyeon’s mouth. At the nearly forgotten taste of fresh meat, Hakyeon all but melted against the table with a happy sigh.

Taekwoon continued to slip Hakyeon bits of meat as he worked on creating a rich chili with the remnant of the antelope. At his side, Kyungsoo was taking the opportunity to make tortillas while his boar simmered – pausing only when he had to skim the foam off the top of the braising liquid. The pair of deltas worked easily together in order to create an impressive spread of food from a surprisingly small number of ingredients; their ingenuity in the kitchen had not gone unnoticed. A group of betas had clustered nearby, just watching their pair work, and it was clear that the higher ranked wolves were seriously considering Taekwoon and Kyungsoo. Hakyeon, noticing the way the betas were panting after the pair, shot the useless gaggle of simpering fools a poisonous look. He even shifted down the table, settling between the betas and the deltas with a scowl firmly affixed to his lips. How dare those betas pant after his precious deltas when they had so rudely ignored them before? Honestly.

It seemed Taekwoon and Kyungsoo were equally unimpressed with the betas’ ogling: neither wolf so much as looked over at the gathered gaggle. Instead, they quietly continued to work until at last the meal was ready. Taekwoon then silently prepared two plates. The first he carried over to Daesung, who took it with a murmured thanks. Returning to the table, Taekwoon picked up the second and moved to stand in front of Hakyeon. Clearing his throat, he held the plate out and bowed his head. “I hope you will consider me,” he breathed, his voice airy and light even as his face turned a vivid shade of crimson. 

Eyes wide, Hakyeon slowly stretched out his hand in order to take the plate from Taekwoon’s grip. He swayed his hips from side to side, nervously shifting his weight with the motion, before giggling softly. “Thank you, Taekwoon,” he murmured, “for working so hard. I will be certain to consider your proposal carefully.” For a brief moment, their gazes met, and Hakyeon could not resist the opportunity to wink. Taekwoon covered his face with his hands, groaning softly. Hakyeon chuckled at the sight and, balancing the plate in one hand, reached forward with his free hand to brush a stray piece of the delta’s hair back behind one of his ears. “You’re too cute.”

Taekwoon fled back around the table – working feverishly to prepare plates for the rest of his pack. Kyungsoo glanced up at Hakyeon, a ghost of a smile on his lips, before returning to the task of preparing a plate for his own pack leader. Just as he went to step around the table and approach Yongguk, a shadow fell over him. Kyungsoo felt the blood turn sluggish in his veins at the familiar scent that teased at his senses. His stomach rocked dangerous, threatening to spill empty bile on the floor, even as his skin blossomed with sickly sweat. “For me?” The sound of that familiar timbre ricocheting through his body just about caused Kyungsoo to drop his plate; his mind was awash in memories – memories where that voice haunted him like a specter from a nightmare. Slowly he pulled his gaze up from the other wolf’s feet and up, up, up until at last he could see the familiar jut of chin and heavy brow of Hong Man’s face. Kyungsoo’s hands began to tremble dangerously as the alpha began to reach out to take the plate. 

Just as Hong Man was about to close his fingers – which were nearly the length of Kyung Soo’s forearm – around the plate, a broad shouldered brunette appeared between the alpha and his prize. Kyungsoo stumbled back half a step, the table digging into his hip, as Chasung growled at Hong Man and curled his lip upwards, baring his teeth in a snarl. The alpha stopped short at the motion, a flash of anger lighting up his dark eyes, before a smirk eased its way onto his lips. “What is this?” Hong Man boomed, even pausing to laugh. “Ah, Kyungsoo, did you scream for him too? Is that why he is trying to protect you?” The incredibly tall alpha leaned down in order to peer into Chansung’s eyes. “He was mine first. I am going to claim him, breed him, and use him as I see fit. And I would love to see you try to stop me, beta.”

“Kyungsoo, are you alright?” a mild, husky voice interrupted whatever Chansung was about to snap back with. The beta stilled at the familiar power and warmth of his pack leader’s voice; Daesung’s mere presence eased his rage back to a milder simmer. Calmly, Daesung checked Kyungsoo for injuries – even taking the plate from him and setting it on the table. “You should be more careful. It looks like you jumped back and hit the table, which probably means it’ll bruise.” Daesung pat the delta’s head before turning his gaze onto Hong Man. “You are not particularly considerate, are you?”

Hong Man huffed a laugh. “What business of yours is it how I treat what’s mine?” He leered down at Kyungsoo, who was doing his best to disappear behind the Excelsior wolves.

“I was not aware Kyungsoo had agreed to be your mate,” Daesung mused. “Since he is being courted by Chansung as well, I believe the dictates of your packs place the decision in Kyungsoo’s hands – a choice between both suitors – rather than in yours.” The blond’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Kyungsoo is not an object for you to play with.”

“Isn’t he?” Hong Man sneered. “I don’t know about that. We had a lot of fun  _playing_ together in the past, didn’t we Kyungsoo?”

Noticing the way the delta had begun to tremble, Daesung turned to fully face the redhead once more. He placed his hands lightly on Kyungsoo’s shoulders and murmured, just loud enough for him to hear, “Kyungsoo, do you intend to accept Chansung’s suit and go north with us?”

For just a brief moment, Kyungsoo’s gaze lifted to meet Daesung’s before skating over to rest on the broad shape of Chansung’s back. The beta was still holding his ground against Hong Man – ready at any moment to leap into action to protect the small delta whose soulful eyes and broken smile had so captured his interested. Hesitantly, Kyungsoo nodded. “I do.” He took a steadying breath and declared louder, “I accept Chansung’s suit.”

“Excellent,” Daesung said, smiling. The alpha then launched into action: In a near blur, Daesung grabbed Hong Man by the arm and proceeded to throw him to the floor. Wrenching the other alpha’s arm behind his back, the blond then pinned the much larger wolf to the floor – reaching back to grab a leg to twist as well. Hong Man attempted to struggle against the smaller alpha’s grip, but Daesung would not budge; while Daesung was not Hong Man’s match in size, he was his better in pure strength. “Now that that’s settled, I will give you one warning and one warning only. If you so much as look at Kyungsoo the wrong way, I will fulfill my duties as his pack leader and rip your throat out. And believe me, I will not hesitate a moment to do it. He is under my protection and a part of my pack now, do you understand me?” Hong Man stubbornly remained silence, not deigning to acknowledge Daesung’s words. So, the alpha put more pressure on Hong Man’s arm, causing him to yelp his acquiesce. “Thank you for your compliance. I would suggest you now remove yourself from my sight before I change my mind.”

Daesung rose to his feet in a smooth motion – dusting off the traces of Hong Man as he did so. The other wolf clambered to his feet, growling curses under his breath, but stopped short when he realized all of the Excelsior wolves had appeared around him, ready and all too willing to help their alpha tear him to pieces. Slowly, Hong Man took a step back before simply turning and shoving his way out of the dining hall. Once the other wolf was gone, Chansung at last relaxed and turned towards Kyungsoo with a frown. “Are you alright?” he murmured, careful to not touch the delta lest it upset him further.

Kyungsoo managed a little nod. “Yes, thank you.”

Chansung cleared his throat, pushing a hand through his hair. “You don’t have to accept me, you know,” he mumbled. “We’d protect you from him even if you weren’t my mate.”

The delta considered that for a moment, truly letting the words sink in, before managing to give the beta a small, strangled hint of a smile. “I know, Chansung. It’s what I like about you.” His fingers trembled as he carefully reached out to place a hand on the brunette’s abdomen. “But I do want to accept your offer. As long as…. As long as you really want an imperfect mate like me.”

Carefully, Chansung placed his hand over Kyungsoo’s and took a small, shuffling step closer. “Having scars doesn’t make you imperfect, Kyungsoo. And a bad past doesn’t mean you’re worthless.” Kyungsoo’s breath caught at those gentle words. “I like you for exactly who you are, shadows and all.”

“But you don’t really know me,” Kyungsoo protested. “I could be horrible or selfish or – or I could’ve deserved everything he did to me.”

Chansung shook his head. “Nobody, not even someone selfish or horrible, would deserve that monster – let alone someone as good as you.” By now, Chansung was actually blushing, much to his pack’s amusement. “And I just, I know you’re good, Kyungsoo. It feels as if your name was written onto my soul, like there’s no one else who could be a perfect match for me. I knew it the moment I saw you – that I couldn’t face a day without you in my life. And I know it’s a lot to take in, but I want to do everything I can to be a good mate. Whatever you need, I’ll be that.”

Stunned by the romanticism of Chansung’s words, Kyungsoo struggled to form a reply. So, the redhead simply nodded, his gaze affixed on the woven fabric of the beta’s shirt. “Okay,” he said at last. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Chansung repeated.

“I’ll … I’ll be your mate,” Kyungsoo affirmed. 

Daesung calmly moved to stand beside them. “Chansung, why don’t you and Kyungsoo get something to eat and go sit with the pack? I want to speak to Kyungsoo’s old alpha for a few minutes; please extend my apologies to Jiyong. Tell him… tell him I will try to speak to him tomorrow.”

The beta inclined his head before carefully preparing a plate for Kyungsoo himself. While the pair shyly shuffled off to join the other Excelsior wolves, who had retreated as soon as Hong Man had left, Daesung cut through the crowd. Catching sight of Yongguk, he smiled and bowed to the other pack leader. “You are the NeverNoon alpha, aren’t you?”

Yongguk, a young and haggard seeming brunette, managed a nod. “I am.” He bowed deeply, folding his body to ninety degrees. “Thank you for protecting Kyungsoo. I am eternally grateful.”

“I am happy to help,” Daesung murmured. His gaze flickered over to rest on the other wolves huddled behind Yongguk, and a faint frown flickered over the alpha’s features. Hakyeon and Kyungsoo had both appeared a bit gaunt, but by the looks of Yongguk and his pack the problem was more serious than Daesung had realized. All four of the wolves in front of Daesung were worryingly skinny – bones poking out in a painful display. In an instant, the Excelsior alpha made his decision. “Yongguk, would you be willing to speak with me for a little while? Your pack would be more than welcome to sit with mine in the meantime.”

Brow furrowing in a frown, Yongguk nodded. “Of course. Jinyoung, why don’t you make sure everyone gets something to eat? I’ll find you as soon as we’re done.” The omega, Jinyoung, nodded and began to shepherd the others away.

“We should get you a plate too,” Daesung murmured. “This might take a bit.” Moving easily, Daesung prepared a plate for Yongguk before leading him off towards the distant shape of the Excelsior camp. Jiyong watched them leave with a frown on his lips; he couldn’t help but worry that perhaps the handsome alpha had changed his mind. After all, what was a mere omega when compared with an alpha, even one as starved and beaten down as Yongguk? Sighing, the brunette hung his head and began to pick at his boar taco with restless, birdlike fingers. He should have known better than to get his hopes up. 


	4. Tensions Arising

 

Jiyong was utterly despondent.

No, that was not quite right.

Jiyong was devastated – destroyed – utterly unmade! Daesung, the precious pack leader and the alpha of his eye, had not yet returned from speaking with Yongguk, even though the pink tendrils of dawn had crept into the morning sky. With every finger of light breaking through the gloom, the omega felt his heart sink further and further into the worn soles of his shoes. Daesung must have forgotten about him. Or, maybe, Yongguk was just such a convincing potential mate that they had simply decided to make it official during the night, and now there was no hope of Jiyong ever getting Daesung and everything was awash in sorrow because Daesung was so perfect and –

WooYoung cleared his throat. “Still no sign of him, huh?”

Lifting his head from where he had hidden it between his hands, Jiyong gave it a tiny shake. There had been no sign – no trace! – of the alpha Moving carefully, WooYoung sat down beside Jiyong on one of the hewn benches that curved through the common area of the festival grounds. The brunette had spent the entire night sitting on the bench, hoping to catch sight of Daesung as he came back into camp – even daring to hope that the alpha might come to speak to him upon his return. But his vigil had been in vain: All he had to show for it was a sore back and terrible circles ringing his eyes.

Sitting down beside him, WooYoung seemed to weight his words carefully on his tongue before turning to look at the despondent young man. “Ji, can I be honest with you?” He did not wait for the omega to reply before plowing on, “You’re being just a little ridiculous. I mean, if he’d taken a different mate or you had some sort of understanding, a little moping would be in order. But you’re skulking about because he is spending more time with another wolf.” The brunette gave his cousin a pointed look. “That’s no way to show him you’d be a good mate.”

“W-what?” Jiyong sat up a little straighter. “What do you mean?”

The alpha ran a hand through his hair. “Well, I mean, if I were courting someone and they acted like you were, I’d be a bit creeped out by it, honestly. It’d make me think that if we did become mates, you’d get super possessive or would constantly think I was trying to cheat on you.” Jiyong’s expression fell as his bottom lip began to tremble. “Look, Ji, I know you’re not like that. You’re just enthusiastic. I’m just saying he could read it wrong.”

Snuggling up to his cousin, Jiyong tucked his head against his shoulder. “So what should I do?” he mumbled into the fabric of WooYoung’s shirt.

Laughing a little, WooYoung gave his knee a squeeze. “What you should’ve been doing from the beginning, Ji. You should be yourself.”

By the time early afternoon had painted the sky a vivid blue – one so pale it seemed like freshly fired porcelain – there had been a distinct change in the air. Laughter – bright, high-pitched, nasal laughter – scurried to fill in every space between the molecules of air, and smiles flashed easily, baring pink gums and white teeth for all to see. There was even, in particularly lovely moments, the occasional flash of impish delight in a particular set of brown eyes. “You’ll never keep up with me if you run like that!” Jiyong called over his shoulder, all but dancing around one of the campfires.

“You say that now,” Amber laughed, “but I think you underestimate my power!” The Goddess Touched alpha, in a rather bold move, lept over the flames and came to land in the soft sand beside Jiyong. Yelping, the omega ran to hide behind Kyungsoo, who had been lurking in Chansung’s shadow for the better part of the day. The redhead shot Jiyong a perplexed look before glancing up at Chansung, arching an eyebrow just a little. Laughing, the beta shrugged and simply watched as Amber proceeded to smack Jiyong on the butt. “You’re it!” And then, whirling in a spray of sand, the alpha tore off across the camping grounds once more.

Jiyong paused to give the pair a shrug. “WooYoung always tells me exercise is good for me,” he offered before beginning his pursuit of the blond. 

From where he stood among the Golden Moon wolves, Henry frowned to himself. Luhan, who caught sight of the look on the delta’s face, snorted to himself. “You look like someone stole your dinner,” he drawled, jamming an elbow into the copper-haired man’s side.

Blinking out of his stupor, Henry looked over at the blond and allowed the faintest hint of a pout to turn his lips. “Do you think Amber likes him?”

Luhan’s face twisted into an expression of confusion: brows furrowing and lips curling into a quizzical line. “Who?”

Henry gestured to Jiyong, who was attempting to corner Amber over in the NeverNoon pack’s camp. “Do you think she likes him?”  _Instead of me_ , the delta thought, frown deepening.

“Oh, is that what that face is about?” Luhan laughed, his eyes crinkling and body shaking with the force of it. “Skies, Henry, you’ve got it bad. Nah, I think she’s just having fun. Wolves do that sometimes, you know? Besides, I’m pretty sure their pack leader has his eyes on … Is his name Jiyong?”

Eyes shiny with hope, Henry gave Luhan his best hopeful expression. “You really think so? You think, maybe, she was serious about her proposal to me?”

Reaching over, Luhan tweaked his ear. “Of course I do. Who could ever resist a Golden Moon wolf, huh? Especially one as cute as you.” And just to be annoying, Luhan began to make ridiculous kissy faces at Henry, even going so far as to lean in as though he were going to steal a kiss.

“Hey, sorry, mine!” a sudden voice said, warm and firm at the same time. Luhan opened his eyes just in time to see Amber, who had somehow escaped Jiyong, grabbing Henry by the hand and dragging him along with her. “The game’s more fun if there’re are more people to chase. And you looked like you needed saving,” she quipped, winking at Henry as she hauled him in the direction of Silver Star camp. A silly little smile melted onto the delta’s lips as he happily allowed Amber to tug him along; his hand felt so warm in her grip. She’d called him “mine.”

And then, suddenly, the sound of pursuit died away.

Looking over his shoulder, Henry caught sight of Jiyong stopped dead – head held high and eyes trained on something in the distance. The copper-haired delta pulled lightly on Amber’s hand, drawing her attention to the scene. She stumbled to a stop and spun around, the giggle dying on her lips. Daesung was crossing the camp with a single-mindedness that was unsettling, causing even the largest alphas to melt out of his way as he cut towards Jiyong. The slim omega began to tremble as he realized that, yes, he was the target of Daesung’s attentions. Stopping just shy of being nearly nose-to-nose with Jiyong, the alpha breathed into the silence between them. Then, in a low undertone, he murmured, “Can I speak to you for a few minutes?” If Jiyong had looked terrible that morning, with circles under his eyes and a spine bent with imagined sorrow, Daesung looked absolutely awful. He was covered in dust and sweat with thick shadows under his eyes; it looked as though he had spent several hard hours running through the night – but from what?

Jiyong managed a jerky, halting nod. Then, shoulders curling in towards his body, he followed the alpha towards the amphitheater – one of the few quiet places during the day. When the pair was finally alone, Daesung took to pacing atop one of the line of benches, agitation written in every restless twitch of his hands. As the silence stretched on, a looming pit of anxiety began to fill the bottom of Jiyong’s belly. It was as though every step punched a hole in what little confidence he had until, at last, nothing remained but deepening despair. His legs began to lose feeling as the fear prickled up his spine, and the omega collapsed to sit down on the lip of the nearest bench, his thigh hitting awkwardly against the edge of the hard stone. “I didn’t want to do it this way,” Daesung said at last, his usually warm voice drawn thin enough that it cracked. “But I don’t think I have much of a choice.” 

Turning, Daesung took in the sight of Jiyong, who had sunk to the point that his head was cradled loosely in his hands. A frown immediately found its home on the alpha’s lips, and he dropped off the bench to cross to the omega’s side. Kneeling in the sand, he carefully placed a hand on the brunette’s knee. “Ji, are you alright? What’s wrong?”

Jiyong managed to drag his gaze up to meet Daesung’s. “It’s okay,” he mumbled. “I understand. Yongguk is an alpha and I’m just an omega and you were never actually – you know – and we were just getting to know each other. But I understand.”

Daesung furrowed his brows. “What are you talking about Jiyong?” His thumb began to move gently across the soft curve of Ji’s kneecap. “I came to ask you if you’d be my mate."

“What?” Jiyong stared uncomprehendingly at Daesung, who cracked a tiny smile. “But, I thought… You were gone with Yongguk for so long. And I’m an omega. You shouldn’t even want me.”

Daesung snorted. “I shouldn’t even want you? That’s ridiculous,” he said, shaking his head a little. “I don’t know where you got that idea from, but you’re wrong. Actually, you’re wrong about a lot of that. Yongguk and I had business to discuss as pack leaders; actually, my business with him is why I am asking you this way. My pack and I are going to have to leave sooner than expected, and I… I didn’t want to leave without seeing if you’d be willing to take a gamble and have me for your mate.”

Jiyong’s eyes widened. “Are you actually serious? You want to be my mate?”

“If you’ll have me,” the alpha murmured. “It would mean leaving your family behind and coming to the mountains... But I can promise you a good life up there. The winters are hard and sometimes food gets scarce, but you wouldn’t starve. And I would do my best to make sure you were happy – that you didn’t lack the things you needed.” Suddenly shy, the honey blond took to watching his thumb as it continued to trace over Jiyong’s knee. “I want to fall in love with you and build a family together.” Finding himself completely out of words, the alpha took his bottom lip between his teeth and continued to avoid looking at the flummoxed omega. 

Despair vanished in a ray of light as the entirety of Jiyong’s body flooded with warmth. Daesung, the alpha who seemed to be every single thing the omega could have ever dreamed of, had asked him to be his mate. But, better yet, he had mentioned falling in love and building a family – things nearly unheard of in the basin. Among Jiyong’s pack, love was considered a convenience if it happened but not a necessity; in fact, there were some who advocated the position that mateships were better without love because it left both parties more reasonable. As a puppy, though, Jiyong had heard Tablo speak of love like it was the greatest artform a wolf could participate in, and ever since then he had dreamed of a mate that would want to share that emotion with him. And here, right at his fingertips, was just such a one, someone who dreamed of the same things. Wordlessly, the omega tossed his arms around Daesung’s neck and nearly tumbled them both to the ground with the force of the motion. “Is that a yes?” Daesung choked.

“Yes,” Jiyong breathed. “I’ll be your mate and go with you across the mountains. And I’ll build a life, a heart, a home with you – everything.”

“I promise to do my best to make you happy that you chose me instead of another mate,” Daesung said, a wide smile nearly splitting his features. “But when I said we have to leave early-“ he hesitated, “I meant before dawn.” Jiyong’s mouth fell open.

When Daesung returned to his pack with Jiyong’s hand firmly caught in his grip, the smile that turned Amber’s lips could only be described as wicked. Dark eyes glittering, she danced up to the pair and gave a happy wriggle. “Looks like you’ve got news for us,” she teased, her voice lilting upwards so it carried easily.

The pack leader flushed beneath his tan and managed a sharp nod. At that gesture, the rest of his pack – including Kyungsoo – drew close; Chansung and Taecyeon were grinning like idiots the moment they caught sight of the pair holding hands. “Jiyong has agreed to be my mate,” Daesung said, figuring he would begin with the pleasant news.

“Congratulations, Daesung!” Taecyeon immediately swept his pack leader into a tight hug, crushing the shorter man to his chest. “And you, Jiyong, welcome to the pack!” Reaching over, he pulled the omega into the hug.

“Hey, don’t hog them!” Chansung laughed, practically pouncing on the trio and wrapping his arms around Jiyong and Daesung as well. Amber, never one to be outdone, somehow managed to wind her arms tightly around Jiyong, who she then proceeded to cuddle like he was the most adorable thing she had ever seen in her entire life. Taekwoon, who was not much for overt displays of affection, stood silently beside Kyungsoo – a ghost of a smile edging at the corners of his lips and making his eyes bright. 

Carefully, Daesung pulled back to look at his packmates. “But I have other news, too. Urgent news.” Sensing the gravity of the situation, the other wolves pulled back into a loose half-circle around their leader and his newly intended. “There has been a threat to our safety, and as such… We’re going to have to leave before dawn. If you mean to take a mate from among these wolves, you’ll have to work fast.” Daesung glanced at Taecyeon and Taekwoon, both of whom looked quietly horrified in their own ways. “I’m sorry. If I thought it were something we could handle, I would stay. But we can’t afford to.” 


	5. I Wish You Well

When Amber turned away from Daesung, she found herself facing Henry instead. The copper-haired delta had a frown on his face, as though he were considering what he had just overhead, as his gaze met the Goddess Touched’s. She had, in the excitement of seeing her alpha so happy, forgotten that Henry was with her, yet there he was….and he had heard everything. A grave expression settled on Amber’s soft features as she took a step towards the delta, closing the distance between them. “Do you want to talk?”

He nodded before moving away from the gaggle of Excelsior wolves, who were on the whole still reeling from Daesung’s news. Amber trailed along behind Henry as he meandered through the camp…through the common grounds…and all the way to the edge of the cliff overlooking a distant river, muddy and thick at the base of the canyon. Stopping a few feet behind him, Amber watched him as he shifted his weight from foot to foot; his mind was awhirl with the thoughts jammed tightly in his skull. “You’re leaving,” he said at last.

“I have to,” she agreed. “My pack can’t do without me.” And it was painfully true. As pack shaman, Amber was literally irreplaceable; it was a position that only death could release her from. If she were to abandon her pack, they would be lost – unable to seek clear counsel from the goddess. She could imagine ways in which that would cause the pack to destabilize, threatening their beautiful home and the safety they had fought so hard to achieve.

Henry curled his fingers tightly into the hem of his shirt. “So did you mean it, then? When you asked me to consider you as a potential mate?”

Amber blinked. “Of course I did.” She scuffed at a rock with the toe of her shoe. “I thought I’d made it pretty clear I was serious about my interest in you.”

At that, the delta turned to face her. “But you’re leaving,” he said, confusing written plainly across his features.

“Yeah. And I’d hoped you would come with me,” Amber replied, her soft voice gentle. “I’d always intended to ask you to come with me.”

That caught him off guard. “Wait, what?”

A little chuckle slid past Amber’s lips. “Henry, from the moment I saw you, I wanted to take you back to the mountains with me. I know I’m not much and you have no reason to trust me, but I know the Goddess brought me here to you. Please say you’ll come with me and be mine?”

\--

Taecyeon had it both easier and harder than Amber. His desired mate had every reason to go with him: safety, food, family; but, that did not mean WooYoung would actually give him a chance. Actually, if Taecyeon were honest with himself, he seemed the most likely to fail. For whatever reason, WooYoung seemed utterly unimpressed with any of his attempts to demonstrate his strength or prowess as a hunter. It was as though he had been weighted and found wanting all without knowing what criteria he was being measured against! He was frustrated beyond words, and yet… And yet, he refused to give up. So, cutting through the afternoon crowds, the tall beta hunted for the slender alpha. 

WooYoung had apparently not heard Jiyong’s news yet: He was sitting on a rock working a piece of wood with a sharp knife. Taecyeon stopped short and watched the other wolf whittle; his knife moved with confidence as it seemed to peel the wood shavings off as though it were the skin of a fruit. He tried to puzzle out what he was carving, but the carving was not finished enough to reveal the artist’s intention. Shaking his head, Taecyeon rolled his shoulders back and took the remaining steps to approach WooYoung. A wide, toothy smile found its way onto his lips – even if WooYoung didn’t like him, the sight of the alpha warmed the jetty haired wolf right to his core – as he wiggled just a little closer. “WooYoung?”

At first, the only sign that WooYoung had heard him was the slightest hesitation in the knife’s movement across the surface of the wooden block. “Yeah?” he finally replied, glancing up at Taecyeon through the saddle brown lengths of his bangs.

And this was the difficult part. Taecyeon wanted to list off all the reasons WooYoung should be his mate and remind the handsome alpha how wonderful the mountains were; but, that did not seem right. If anything, WooYoung’s chilly behavior showed just how poorly that tactic had worked. “I’m sorry.” That made the wood nearly slip from between the alpha’s fingers. “I’m sorry if you felt I threatened your authority by courting you, and I’m sorry if I’ve annoyed you.” Taecyeon’s smile fell away from his lips as his gaze sank to the abandoned shavings scattered across WooYoung’s lap. “I was just so excited and wanted you to want me so badly – I can be overwhelming. But I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Silence.

Then, faintly, the scrape of blade against wood.

A soft sigh.

“You know, I thought you were chasing me because it’d be easy. Small alpha, big beta. Like I wouldn’t be able to boss you around or something.” Taecyeon’s gaze snapped up to rest on WooYoung’s face, which was caught in an unsettlingly serene expression. “Wouldn’t be the first time a lower rank tried to go after me for reasons like that, you know. They think just because I’m smaller I’m weaker.” He paused. “They were wrong.” The beta opened his mouth to say something – anything! – but the other wolf kept going: “I realize that any mate I take is never going to treat me normally. It’s my lot in life. You know, I sometimes envy Jiyong because he at least looks the part of an omega – nobody treats him differently from what he is. It’d be so easy, you know, to just…cut the mark right off my palm.” The knife swayed slowly in his grip. “But that wouldn’t change what I am. Who I am.” Raising an eyebrow, he looked up at Taecyeon. “Sure you want me for your mate?”

\--

If Taecyeon had been nervous, Taekwoon was utterly numb. Anxiety had flared up throughout his body – manifesting in twitching fingers and clicking teeth – until it had simply become so much that his emotions had shut down, waiting until they were ready to reboot. Even though Hakyeon had seemed so receptive to his offerings and to his flittering, there was a sense of unease resting in the pit of Taekwoon’s stomach that he simply could not explain. There was some detail, some fragile element, that seemed poised to undermine all of the quiet dreams of happiness the delta had built the moment he had first seen Hakyeon’s face.

Ultimately, it was Hakyeon that found him, sitting – just staring up at the blue sky as it began to darken at the edges with the first hues of night. The alpha sat down beside him, tipping his head back to watch the distant clouds as they drifted towards the horizon – a pink blush beginning to color them the closer they came. “Soo said you guys will be leaving,” Hakyeon said, his voice far softer than it normally was. (Taekwoon had learned very quickly that the wolf at his side was usually very loud and very flashy – two things he never thought he would be attracted to.) It unnerved Taekwoon to hear the gentleness in the alpha’s voice; he had grown accustomed to the cacophony. He managed a slight nod. “Will... Do you think Chansung will take good care of Kyungsoo?”

Taekwoon had not expected that question, though he had imagined a hundred different possibilities. “Yes,” he said simply, his voice nearly impossible to hear over the distant noises of the other wolves.

The alpha let out a sigh. “Ah, that’s good. I am very glad to hear that.” Hakyeon nodded to himself, lips drawn into a tight parody of a smile. “Will you be happy to go home?” He looked over at Taekwoon. “I’m sure you miss your family.”

Hakyeon spoke as if they were saying goodbye; it sent a chill through Taekwoon. “Yes.” He began to twist one of the heavy rings on his finger. “You could come.”

A strangely bright laugh fell from Hakyeon’s lips. “Why would I do that, eh?” His shoulder bumped playfully against Taekwoon’s. “My pack is here.”

Trying to steady his breath, the delta turned to meet Hakyeon’s smiling gaze. “You could have a new pack. My pack.”

The smile on Hakyeon’s lips wavered before coming back twice as strong. “I know your alpha is kind, but taking on random pack members would be too much to ask –“

“-As my mate,” Taekwoon cut in, stuttering out the word before he lost all his courage. 

\--

Henry’s lips pulled into a bright smile. “You serious?” The idea that an alpha – a Goddess Touched alpha! – would want him for a mate was nearly outrageous. He was a delta, and by all rights that meant he was doomed to be ignored by the higher ranking wolves; if he were lucky he might end up with a lesser beta. But no, here he was with Amber grinning at him with that delighted little twinkle in her eye.

“Do I have to do a song and dance number to convince you of just how serious I am?” she teased.

Laughing, he took a shy little shuffling step towards her. “No, you don’t. I just can’t believe you’d want me.” He wrinkled his nose as another laugh slid past his lips. “I’d be honored to be your mate, Amber.” 

\--

“I’m sure,” Taecyeon said firmly. “I’ve never been this sure about anything in my entire life. It’s not because I think you’re weak or not an alpha; you’re maybe not the biggest wolf, but you’re strong in other ways. You’re clever and agile, you know when to push and when to pull, and you’re loyal. Why wouldn’t I want that in a mate?”

WooYoung shrugged. “Alright.”

Taecyeon had just gathered a breath to say more on the matter, to try to convince the alpha of his admiration, when the word caught up to him. “Alright?”

“Alright.” WooYoung went back to whittling. “You seem like a better option than what I’ve seen around here, and Jiyong… Well, I might as well stay with my cousin.” He glanced up at Taecyeon. “He is going to be your leader’s mate, isn’t he?” Stunned, the beta nodded. “Then sure, I’ll be your mate. I think we’ll be good partners.”

 _Partners?_ Taecyeon thought, the word leaving a bad taste in his mouth. He wanted them to be mates not partners… 

\--

 A soft laugh, something that sounded more like a heartbroken shadow of a sigh, slipped past the full line of Hakyeon’s lips. “Oh Taekwoon,” he murmured. “Chansung…told me your pack believes mateships should be based on love. That he looked at Soo and knew he’d come all this way just to fall in love with him.” He hung his head. “But I don’t know that I can be that for you, Taekwoon. Not right now.”

The only thought that managed to flash across Taekwoon’s mind was that being utterly rejected did not hurt, if anything it felt like his ability to feel was simply removed from his body – as though joy itself had been drained out of his repertoire. And that was infinitely worse. He could imagine all of the others successfully winning their mates and leading happy lives together; but, he would be forever alone, abandoned by the one alpha that had claimed his soul from the moment he had first breathed life. Because, in the north, it was believed that every wolf was born with a single perfect mate, and to try to mate with another after you had met them was suicide. How could you be happy with the filtered weakness of the winter sun streaming through the thick clouds when you had once known bright summer in its fullness? “Oh."

“If there were more time,” Hakyeon choked, “time for my heart to heal, it’d be different. You are so kind and thoughtful, everything I could ever want. But I love him, Taekwoon.” The alpha buried his face in his hands as his tongue was stopped by the overwhelming flow of his tears. “Kyungsoo… I love him, but I knew – I knew I couldn’t be what he needed. And I just can’t…” Carefully, Taekwoon reached out to wrap his arms around Hakyeon, drawing him into a tight embrace. The alpha gasped, breaking free of his hands like he was emerging from a rock slide into the first breaths of freedom, and threw his arms around the brunette’s neck. Taekwoon carefully tangled his fingers in the soft auburn hair at the nape of Hakyeon’s neck and held him as he cried, spilling every salty piece of sorrow on the slope of the delta’s neck. Minutes wasted between them, perishing in stuttered gasps and shared agony, as the wolves were crushed beneath the weight of broken happiness. But even in the depths of his pain, the delta could not help feeling sorry that Hakyeon could not be happy – that he had to be parted from Kyungsoo. When the wolves went to the mountain, it was likely the broken little delta would never see his old pack again; the journey was too dangerous to be casually made. That was perhaps the worst of it: Knowing that Taekwoon was going to be leaving with Hakyeon’s happiness – his heart – and leaving the other wolf behind, alone, to wallow in the agony of losing the one he loved. And there was nothing Taekwoon could do to mend the situation. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. I have no soul.


	6. In the Moonlight

 

Daesung could not feel his fingers anymore. He was so nervous that it was as though the tips of his fingers had fallen off as the blood rushed to steady his rapidly beating heart. He tapped his fingers restlessly together, trying to encourage some feeling back into them. There was so much at stake – so much that could go wrong – and yet there was no one he could talk to about the fear coiling in the pit of his stomach. A pack leader had to carry some burdens alone and stand as a figure of strength when danger threatened; the pack needed him to remain calm. If they realized just how dangerous the situation was, they would likely break or give some sign of their distress away. To them, Hong Man was a vague threat – a bad wolf with a mean temper – but Daesung knew better.

The previous night, Yongguk had asked for Daesung’s help in defeating Hong Man, explaining his tragic history with the much larger wolf. Sympathetic, Daesung had agreed to do what he could, and he had thought it would be a simple matter of teaching Yongguk a few tricks. Grave, the other alpha had explained that the situation was not so simple. Hong Man was more than Yongguk could beat on the best of days, let alone at that moment; they did not have enough time for him to recover. And then came the moment that had set fear running its cold course through Daesung’s veins: Yongguk had taken the mountain wolf out into the desert and shown him how real the threat against both of their packs was. Death awaited them all. If the Excelsior wolves remained until the dawn, they would never see their home again. In that moment, Daesung made a choice he could only hope Jiyong would someday forgive him for.

Hearing someone approach, Daesung shook out his hands and spun to find Amber watching him closely, her dark eyes too observant. “It’s time,” she said. Daesung nodded. Zhoumi had asked Amber to officiate most of the matches to take place that night – she was the highest ranked Goddess Touched present – and in return Daesung would be allowed to take his mate first. It was an even enough trade, and perhaps it would help ease the chill from Daesung’s body.

He could only hope they would all live to see the dawn.

\--

As the moon began to rise in the sky, casting its silver gilding across every surface, the packs began to gather. They were going to a place embedded with centuries of memory, a place where the Goddess had once stood when the world was young and the first howls split the night – shattering the silence to bring life into the world. At first glance, it was a simple monument: a broad, flat red stone rising above the desert sand. But as the moon climbed into the sky, when the packs stood facing the rock, anyone standing atop it was wreathed in a circle of the purest white light. It was here, on this surface, that mates were traditionally joined until death or bad faith parted them.

Jiyong was nervous. He knew that Daesung would not back out of the mateship – he was far too honorable for that – but the brunette couldn’t help but wonder if the alpha would regret his choice. The more Daesung had talked about his home and how his people chose their mates, the more the omega had come to realize that a mere two days of courtship went against everything the mountain wolves held dear. Actually, the more he thought about it, the more Jiyong wondered why the basin wolves were in such a hurry to take mates; was there something wrong with getting to know your mate before making it official? But, the time for doubts and cultural interrogation was long expired.

As the moon crested behind the rock, casting its perfect circle around it, a silence fell over the gathered packs. As a body, they turned to face the moon, and the rising descant of a low howl severed the air. The notes climbed higher and higher in an artful slide, power echoing throughout the sound, before the speaker lept onto the rock: Daesung. In his wolf form, the alpha was more beautiful than he had any right to be. Like his human form, the wolf Daesung was powerfully built with wide shoulders and well-muscled legs. But it was in the differences, the nuances of his canine body, that Jiyong found the most beauty. Daesung’s fur was a myriad of colors: a rich cream overlayed with hues of gold and red and grey – even a touch of black across his shoulders and hips. The omega had expected his future mate to be more of a pale gold, like Taeyang, or at the very least a consistent honey color in order to better match his hair. The rose-gold hues, though, were bewitching in their complexity and the way the colors seemed to move across Daesung’s fur. Even his eyes changed to a startling shade of bright gold – the same color as the harvest moon that would hang in the sky as autumn fell thick across the desert. It was as though the Goddess had taken her most beautiful creations and given them life in a single body when she had made Daesung.

Jiyong had no idea what he had ever done to deserve such a perfect mate.

When at last Daesung’s howl faded off, carried away by the evening breeze sweeping from the canyons, the packs split to form a pathway for Jiyong. The omega took a steadying breath before moving towards the alpha, the sand still warm beneath his paws. He climbed atop the stone and stood facing his future mate – heart fluttering wildly in his chest. Compared to Daesung, his wolf was plain: various shades of dark brown only highlighted by the black on his face and faint hints of red when the sun lit his fur. And now, standing face to face with Daesung, Jiyong realized how much bigger Daesung was as a wolf; he dwarfed the omega. As humans, they stood fairly close to the same height, but as wolves Daesung was nearly twice Jiyong’s size in height and triple his muscle mass. It took Jiyong’s breath away: His mate-to-be was a force to be reckoned with. 

Shifting, Daesung held out a hand to the omega. A warm, soft smile turned the alpha’s lips as he said simply, “Are you ready?”

It took Jiyong a moment for to work up the courage to shift, but when he did it was only too easy to slip his hand into Daesung’s calloused grip. He nodded a little – afraid his voice would break if he tried to speak. The alpha laughed softly before guiding Jiyong to stand next to a pile of wood that had carefully been leaned into a tent formation, waiting for the first sparks to bring a fire to life. Amber, who stood waiting for them, gave Jiyong a wink before raising her hands. “Taeyang, alpha and leader of the Sunburst pack, do you consent to one of your own joining the Excelsior pack?” she asked, her melodic voice carrying easily.

Taeyang, whose blonde mohawk had been carefully coifed for the event, stepped into view. “I do,” he replied. “Happily.”

Amber grinned. “Then bring forward the light of your people.”

Among the basin wolves, it was tradition for both packs to bring a starter flame from their home hearth – or pack campground, in this instance – as a means to start the ritualistic fire over which a mating bond wound be made. There was no need for it – not in the eyes of the Goddess – but it was counted a visible sign of two packs being joined together. And so, Taeyang took the torch Jinwoo had been holding for him and made his way up to stand beside Jiyong. Amber then turned towards Daesung. “Alpha, as the leader of your pack, do you consent to take Jiyong into your pack?”

Daesung’s eyes nearly vanished his smile became so wide. “I do, both as pack leader and as Jiyong’s intended.”

“Then have your pack present the light of your people,” Amber ordered. Her gaze flickered over to rest on Taekwoon, who was in charge of the Excelsior wolves’ fire. There was a strange moment where he seemed to produce a torch that was unlit, but then the fire gained strength, flickering brightly in the darkness. The silent delta moved to stand at Daesung’s side, torch held carefully so all could see the brightness of the flames. “Light the fire, and let ash, blood, and moonlight join these two lives,” Amber chanted.

Taeyang and Taekwoon moved together, lighting the fire from their torches, before moving to resume their positions in the crowd. For a moment the fire was a weak little thing, just barely stuttering with life, but then the flames on Daesung’s side seemed to flash with renewed vigor. Suddenly, brilliant white tongues of fire clawed at the wood until it was high enough to cast bright sparks into the night. Daesung moved to stand on one side of the flames while Jiyong stood on the other. Pulling out a dagger, Amber took a steadying breath before turning to Daesung. “Let blood become one,” she said simply, drawing the blade across his palm. Turning to Jiyong, she cut across the surface of his hand as well. “As souls and hearts must also join.” Reaching across the flames, Daesung yet again held out his hand to Jiyong. This time, the omega did not hesitate: He immediately slid his hand into Daesung’s grip. As their hands joined, drops of blood spilled into the fire – crackling and hissing in the heat.

“May the Goddess bless you both with the strength to understand each other, the passion to fight to remain together, and hearts gentled with love,” the shaman declared before stooping to gather ash on her fingertips. She carefully brushed this across the backs of their hands. Amber then pulled out two red pieces of cloth – ones that Daesung had brought with him from the mountains – and held them out to the two wolves. “Take these cloths and with them bind one another’s wounds, sealing your bond before the eyes of all here and the Goddess herself.”

Daesung moved first, taking the red fabric from Amber’s hand and turning to Jiyong. He carefully cradled the omega’s hand in his as he wound the cloth around the wound, bandaging it just tightly enough to stop the bleeding but not so much that it would cause pain. With a firm little knot, Daesung finished his task. Glancing up at Jiyong, he sighed, grateful that his part was done. Jiyong then took the remaining strip and wrapped Daesung’s hand – his fingers trembling through the entire process. But then, with one last knot, he too had finished his task. A breathless laugh managed to slip past the omega’s lips; they were mated. Officially mated. The faint burning on his uninjured palm signaled the settling of the second mark into his flesh as the Goddess accepted their bond. Glancing down at his hand, Jiyong could not fight back the gummy smile that immediately pulled at his lips. For all his life, the lonely mark of an omega had stood stark and black against his flesh – waiting for the day when he would take a mate. But now, now that he had Daesung, a second mark had appeared: a golden alpha mark seemed to loom protectively behind the omega marking. It was so beautiful looking that Jiyong felt tears begin to prick at his eyes, and he let out another breathy chuckle. “It’s real,” he murmured, finally looking up at Daesung.

The alpha came around the fire and brushed the broad blade of his thumb across Jiyong’s cheek, catching the tear there. “You’re stuck with me,” he agreed gently. “I hope you don’t mind.”

Jiyong lightly shoved at his chest. “Is that the kind of thing to say to your new mate?”

Laughing, Daesung drew Jiyong into a tight hug. “I don’t know. It sounded pretty fitting to me.” He pressed a quick kiss to the omega’s ear. “Come on. Let’s go join our pack and watch the other ceremonies.” Leaving an arm wrapped tightly around Jiyong’s waist, he guided the omega down to stand with the Excelsior wolves. Jiyong practically felt as though he floated down the hewn stone steps and across the sand; the night was too perfect for words. 

Daesung was not the only pack leader to take a mate that night: Siwon did precisely what he had been expected to do by taking Sulli as his partner. The pair were striking together, certainly, but what mattered most of all was that the purity of the pack was kept intact. For nearly a hundred years, the Silver Star wolves had touted themselves as of better stock than the other basin wolves, and since then had taken to giving all of their children names that began with “s.” It was a sign that they were special, the pack claimed, and only wolves whose names began with that same letter could even hope to be courted by those from the Silver Star pack. But, Siwon was not one to look outside his pack borders when he could simply take a Goddess Touched mate. Yes, it was a good move – a practical move.

But the third pack leader to take a mate that night caught everyone by surprise: Taeyang. The blonde had strode boldly forward, fingers tangled tightly with his intended’s, until they both stood before Amber. “I wish to take a mate,” he had declared firmly. “One from among my own pack.”

The Excelsior shaman had been surprised at the news – or so it seemed by the way her eyebrows arched towards her hairline – but she smiled nonetheless. “And does your intended want you in return?” Her gaze fell to rest on the slim delta standing beside Taeyang.

A soft, shy smile turned Jinwoo’s lips as he nodded. “Yes,” he breathed. “I want nothing more than to be Taeyang’s mate.” 

“So that’s how he did it,” Jiyong muttered under his breath. Daesung turned his head just enough to give him a look of askance, which made the omega blush. “I always wondered why Taeyang was so willing to go along with Jinwoo’s suggestions. I thought he had some sort of special technique or something, but turns out it was just love.”

A small smile turned the edge of Daesung’s lips. “Love has a funny way of bringing alphas to their knees,” he agreed gently. His fingers, which were still tangled with Jiyong’s, gave the omega’s hand a slight squeeze. “I have the feeling you’ll pick up his technique pretty quickly.” Jiyong flushed but could not find it in himself to disagree.

\--

Throughout the other ceremonies, including Amber and Henry’s, Hakyeon could not help but feel happy for the couples. Even the matches of convenience seemed to be well-suited to one another, and he could foresee strong families coming from each. But then, as the moon was beginning to rise too high for any more joinings, one last couple stepped forward. The alpha’s heart lurched: He knew the shape of those shoulders and the way the smaller wolf moved. Kyungsoo. Some part of his mind, desperate to hide from the impending agony, had conveniently forgotten the small detail that his Kyungsoo would soon belong to another. If the wolves were leaving that night, as Hakyeon knew they must, it truly was in Kyungsoo’s best interest to be officially mated that night; but, oh, the reality of the situation hurt far more than the alpha had ever suspected it could. His heart seemed to freeze and burn simultaneously as Yongguk stepped forward to offer the flames of their pack – in essence bequeathing the delta to his new pack with a few sparks. Hakyeon’s smile faltered, but it did not actually manage to fall away completely. No. This truly was for the best. The delta would go far away, across the mountains, and forge a new life for himself. Hong Man and the horrors of the basin would never touch Kyungsoo again, and for that… How could Hakyeon do anything but let him go?

The sudden sensation of warmth at his side drew the alpha’s gaze away from Kyungsoo – coming to rest instead of the features of a different delta. Taekwoon. Hakyeon's heart lurched again, though this time for an entirely different reason. He could almost imagine what it would be like to be mates with Taekwoon: How the delta would quietly make breakfast in the mornings and the type of parents they would be together (Taekwoon secretly whipped and Hakyeon the cheerful voice of authority). And yet, his heart beat a constant refrain of Soo, Soo, Soo. There was not a day nor a week long enough to erase the broken redhead’s name from the tissue of Hakyeon’s heart, and once the Excelsior wolves left – that was it. Goodbye. Good luck. Never to be seen again. Even if he took it upon himself to cross the mountains to try to find them, Hakyeon doubted he would survive the journey or be able to find the Excelsior pack. The wilds were vast – he knew that from his own travels through the deserts and plains to the east – and it was too easy to get lost.

But, in that moment of heartbreaking loneliness, he allowed himself the concession of tightly holding Taekwoon’s hand. It was not a happily ever after or a plaster for the wound on his heart, but it was a quiet, steady comfort. 

Turning his gaze back towards Kyungsoo, the alpha managed to widen his smile as the redhead slid his hand into Chansung’s grip. They were such a pretty pair, he thought, one so tall and the other more petite. But they were both strong, in their own ways, and would be even stronger together. Kyungsoo would ground Chansung and steady him, while Chansung would help Kyungsoo emerge from the fortress he had built around his heart. Together Hakyeon was certain the wolves would find true happiness – their own happiness. And for that, too, the alpha could let his love for Kyungsoo go.

When the newly mated pair at last finished tying their knots, Hakyeon was the first to applaud – laughing through the tears that streamed down his face. He felt more than saw Kyungsoo search the crowd for him, but he could tell when the delta had spotted him by the shy wisp of a smile that turned Kyungsoo’s lips. Hakyeon cheered even louder, making Jinyoung snort in amusement. Turning to his side, the alpha opened his mouth to thank Taekwoon only to find the delta gone. It made the loneliness come back more sharply than before; he would not get to say farewell, it seemed.

\--

After the celebrations had calmed and the camp fell into stillness, Daesung rose to his feet and carefully scanned the area for any signs of movement. He could see, in the distance, the sentries watching the periphery, but their gaze was blind towards the inside of their watch. If nothing else, the Excelsior wolves would be able to get that far without altering any of Hong Man’s watchdogs. Leaning down, he shook Taecyeon’s shoulder – drawing the wolf instantly awake. The beta gave a single nod before waking WooYoung, who slept at the brunette’s side even though they were not yet officially mated. (It had been decided that if too many of the Excelsior wolves took mates that night, Hong Man would become too suspicious. Oddly, Taecyeon had volunteered to wait until they reached the mountains, though WooYoung had certainly not seemed opposed to putting it off.) Within a few moments, the entire pack was awake and strapping on their bags – harnesses loosened to fit their wolf forms once they shifted. Daesung took the opportunity to make sure everyone was ready before shifting, his fur bright in the darkness. He paused yet again, ears turning to catch any sign of detection, before he started off across the sand at a steady lope. Shifting behind him, his pack all moved to fall into place - following him towards their distant home. Their late arrival was, in its way, a boon: They were at the perimeter of the camp and did not have to pick their way carefully through too many sleeping bodies.

Once out in the open, Daesung moved into a much faster pace – desperation driving him and the rest of his pack. If they could make it to the foothills before the sunset, Hong Man and his thugs would likely be unable to follow them. The mountain passes were treacherous, and the falling night would hinder their pursuit. And even if the chase lead up the mountain face, the altitude alone would stop most basin wolves. The air became too thin for those unaccustomed to it, and it was likely to cause headaches and shortness of breath for the desert wolves. As it was, Daesung and his pack would have to help carry their newest packmates once they got further into the mountains; a wolf who could not breathe well could not run well. Daesung did not want to risk any of Hong Man’s wolves catching up with them before they were safely within the boundaries of the Excelsior pack territory, and that meant running as hard as possible for as long as possible. 

He prayed to the goddess that they would make it.

But perhaps strangest of all was that Daesung’s course did not run directly towards the mountains. No, the danger in the business lay in the fact he had one stop left to make – one that would either make or break their success in the escape. He only hoped they were ready.

\--

Earlier that night, while the celebrations had still been in full swing, Hakyeon had been searching the crowd for any sign of Taekwoon – to say goodbye – or Kyungsoo – to congratulate him. Before he could find either, though, he felt a large, warm hand on his bicep. Turning, he gazed into the pitchy darkness of his pack leader’s eyes. “Hakyeon, I need you to find Jinyoung and Bomi. Bring them back to camp.”

The auburn alpha frowned and tipped his head slightly to one side. “What is it? What’s going on?”

Yongguk shook his head. “Just find them and meet me back at camp.”

“Yes, of course.” Hakyeon managed a strained smile. “I’ll be there as soon as possible.” The other alpha gave a single nod before moving off, vanishing into the crowd. Pressed with the urgency of his pack leader’s orders, Hakyeon started through the throng with an entirely different purpose – his heart bidding a silent farewell to both Kyungsoo and Taekwoon. He found Jinyoung and Bomi together, thankfully, sitting near some of the other lower-ranked wolves present. “Yongguk wants to see you,” he said simply. “Back at camp.”

Bomi pouted prettily, sticking out her lower lip and fluttering her eyelashes. “But Hakyeon, I was just getting to know Chanyeol better,” she protested. Jinyoung shot her a look before rising to his feet and starting towards camp. Heaving a sigh, Bomi stood – giving Chanyeol a last flirtatious wave. “I’ll find you later, Chanyeol!”

“Bye!” the big-eared delta called, waving happily at the departing beta Goddess Touched. Hakyeon shot him a glare – as if he would be worthy of precious Bomi – before trailing after the departing beta. 

When all five of the NeverNoon wolves - or at least those present at the courtship festival - were gathered together, Yongguk took a moment to look at each of them. They were a ragged bunch, starved and beaten down by life, but that did mean they were hopeless. If anything, escaping the oppression of Hong Man and finding reprieve from the loneliness of being a rogue had given the NeverNoon wolves more hope than any had experienced in too long. And now, Yongguk thought, they had a real chance of not just hope but a future. “Pack up. Take only the things you need – don’t worry about bedrolls or cooking equipment. We need to be gone before anyone notices we’ve left.”

None of the wolves questioned their pack leader: Immediately they packed up the scant possessions that fell within the given parameters. Within a few minutes, they were ready – slipping out from the campground without a soul noticing their departure. Yongguk paused once they were tucked out of sight, hidden by a large rock, to look at his pack. “We’re going to meet the others,” he explained. “But we need to be careful. Hong Man is watching for us.” That said, the alpha shifted into his wolf form – large, grey, and beautiful even with the signs of starvation. The others quickly followed his lead and moved out across the desert, Hakyeon taking his position at the rear, just in case any attack should come. They ran and ran, putting as much distance between them and the courtship festival as possible. At last, they came to a small outcropping of rocks, so sudden in the barrenness of the desert. Yongguk let out a low bark, his voice nearly out of the range of hearing it was so soft, to alert the other wolves of their approach. Nichkhun, the only alpha left behind, immediately emerged. Upon seeing Yongguk, he shifted out of pure surprise. “What is it? Did something happen?” he called, trotting to greet them.

Once closer, Yongguk shifted as well. “We need to be ready to go,” he murmured. “We’re leaving the basin.” Hakyeon nearly tripped muzzle over tail at that. Shifting, he moved to stand beside Yongguk, listening carefully as his leader said, “Hong Man is out to eradicate us once and for all. So we’re leaving.”

“But what about Zelo?” Hakyeon could not help asking, knowing how much Yongguk cared for the omega, who was still trapped among the numbers of the Red Rock pack.

Yongguk took a steadying breath. “It’s only temporary. Until I can beat Hong Man.”

“Beat Hong Man?” several of the wolves repeated, staring at their leader in awe.

“But how?” Nichkhun asked, always to the point. “Last time he nearly killed you.” And now that starvation and stress had taken their toll, Yongguk was even weaker than when he had first faced the giant alpha in combat.

The pack leader hung his head. “I sought help from the mountain wolves. Their leader beat Hong Man, even though he is nowhere near his size. He agreed to teach me how to beat Hong Man…and to give us shelter until I am ready.”

Hakyeon’s breath lodged in his throat. “We’re going over the mountains?”

Yongguk nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I totally once upon a time worked at an observatory. And while I worked there, my photographer friend and I hooked her camera up to our big telescope - just so we could take pictures of the moon and Jupiter. The picture up at the top is one I helped take - isn't it neat?  
> And in other news: sorry I've been slow to reply to comments! I feel really lame for it, but right now I'm in crunch mode with grading. I am going to do my best to make sure every comment gets answered. It means a lot that you take the time to comment on my stories, and I don't want you to feel forgotten. So anticipate that! Also, I apologize for the angst in this chapter. Now that we are finally getting to go to the mountains (woo!) things are looking up, which means less angst. (I know, about time.) Hopefully, though, you still enjoyed this chapter, even with the sad bits.   
> Thank you, as always, for reading. It means the world. <3


	7. Run

The ragtag band of wolves were not more than a few miles from the courting grounds when Taecyeon stopped suddenly. Each hair along the broad line of his back stood on end, bristling enough that the chocolate down of his undercoat caught the early traces of morning light. His head lowered and his ears fanned out to the side, though they remained forward enough to catch any trace of sound coming from behind them. Every muscle in his powerful body coiled with readiness to attack - bare teeth ready to snuff the life from their pursuers. WooYoung gaped in surprise at the change that was so quickly wrought in his mate-to-be: Gone was the gentle giant, replaced by a deadly warrior. His heart skipped a beat. Moving slowly, the alpha moved to stand beside Taecyeon - their positions mirrored, though WooYoung barely came up to the other wolf's shoulder. If they were to be mates, the alpha mused, then they should at least be able to fight together. Beside him, the beta slid half a step forward and a little bit closer, as though to make certain that whatever attack came hit him first; WooYoung could not find it in himself to be annoyed at the gesture, misplaced though it was.

Before any other course of action could be taken, two betas stepped out from behind a sand dune onto the path behind them. They were a near perfect match in height, though different in build. The nearly perfect white wolf was slim and graceful, built more like Henry or Kyungsoo than the usual beta. At the white wolf's side was a grey wolf - broad shouldered with variegated fur that went from bright ivory to a deep charcoal. Taecyeon took a threatening step forward, a low growl rumbling through his body, before a hand on his shoulder stopped him short. Startled, the black wolf tipped his head enough to see Henry standing at his side, a thoughtful frown turning his lips. 

"Tao. What are you doing?" the copper haired delta called. In response, the white wolf gave his tail a happy little wag before lowering his body to the ground - crawling just a little closer with his belly pressed to the sand. Turning, Henry told Amber, "I know the white wolf."

Amber and Daesung both shifted, coming to stand beside Henry. "Shift," Daesung ordered the two betas, a rare thread of authority making his voice heavy and sharp. Immediately, both wolves complied. The white wolf became a tall, almost feline looking person with sleepy eyes and golden hair; his human form was built much like his wolf, with slim, powerful muscles instead of bulk. At his side stood an equally blond figure, though he had the broad shoulders of his wolf and a cold, wary look on his face. Between the two of them, Daesung could immediately tell whose idea it was to come chasing after them: The white wolf practically vibrated with the need to run to Henry while his - Daesung drew in a breath, scenting the air - his mate hung back, ready to run at the faintest sign of a threat.

Henry looked to his mate for permission before sliding forward a few steps. "Tao," he said, yet again addressing the white wolf. "What are you doing?"

Folding his hands in front of his body - tangling and retangling his fingers over and over again - the beta let his gaze sweep over the assembled wolves, gaze catching on the powerful forms of both Chansung and Taecyeon nervously. "Luhan... Luhan said I should come with you." And then, slowly, the unnamed wolf stepped forward to take one of Tao's hands in his grip, steadying the other blond with his presence. 

Eyes wide, Henry looked between the two wolves. "He what?" His gaze dropped to their hands before nervously flicking up to rest on Tao's face. "Does it have anything to do with the fact you're cuddling up to a Silver Star wolf?" Tao hung his head, scuffing the toe of his shoe in the sand.

"Henry," Amber said, moving to stand beside him. "Who are they?"

Bristling with quiet indignation, Henry turned to his his mate. "One of them is from my old pack, Golden Moon. Tao." He shot the younger wolf a sharp look. "And with him is one of the pups from the Silver Star pack - our sworn enemies."

Amber nodded slowly. "I see." She looked over at Tao and his silent mate. "You're hoping to escape with us, aren't you? Because of that whole pack feud. Your leaders wouldn't like to find out you're mates." It was easy to read the tendrils of fear and hope that mingled in the auras of both wolves; Amber could see it plainly around both Tao and Sehun. Though, her eyes narrowed a little as she looked at the unnamed beta. So much fear couldn't be good for a wolf of his age. Then again, he had no hope of friendship among the strange wolves his mate had brought him to, no one to plead his case for him. That, the alpha mused, would be enough to make her feel afraid. It was just uncanny how little of his unease showed in his countenance: His features were nearly stone they were so void of expression.

"Mates," Henry hissed at her side. "How did they -" Amber put a hand on his arm, silencing him immediately. Henry huffed, folding his arms tightly over his chest. There was no world in which he could imagine a Silver Star wolf ever being worthy of a Golden Moon wolf, let alone the youngest of their pack allowed to come to the courtship festival. Tao had to have been duped, he mused, in order to have mated so rashly; but, he would bite his tongue - to obey his mate's wishes.

The heretofore silent beta stepped forward slightly, shielding Tao with his body as he glared at Henry. "Luhan said you might offer us sanctuary," he said, his voice a natural drawl that seemed to ease its way into the morning air. "Since our packs would kills us if they found out." Amber's eyebrows raised; murder seemed a bit harsh for taking the "wrong" mate. What kinds of packs did these kids come from?

"And just who are you?" Daesung called, fists braced on his hips.

"Sehun," the wolf replied, squaring his shoulders. He shifted his weight onto his back foot - bracing his weight carefully in case the alpha should decide to attack him. 

"Well, Sehun. Tao. I hope you came ready to run. We have a long way to go before we'll get to rest." With that, Daesung turned and shifted, resuming his place at the head of the formation. 

The air left Sehun's body, leaving his shoulders bowed and brow furrowed. He glanced at his mate, who just offered him a brilliantly befuddled smile and a haphazard shrug. Sehun snorted softly under his breath before looking once more to the still glaring Henry. The beta gulped. "Well," Henry snapped. "Let's move." Shooting Sehun one last scowl, Henry moved to take his place at Amber's side, shifting with a grumble. 

"It's going to be okay," Tao promised, pressing a quick kiss to Sehun's shoulder. "I told you they wouldn't turn us away." His dark eyes sparkled at his mate before he, too, shifted and trotted over to join the nine Excelsior wolves. Sehun hesitated for only a moment before following suit, slinking past Taecyeon with his tail and head held down.

As the wolves set into motion yet again, Daesung's expression became grim. If two betas could catch them so quickly - and knew they were leaving - that did not bode well for their chances. His chest ached at the very real possibility that Hong Man's dogs were already on their tail. How long did they have until howls rose in the air, signaling the hunt? Taking a deep breath, he lengthened his stride - forcing his pack to move faster across the sands. They'd lost too much time - time they didn't have to begin with. 

The sand burned beneath the pads of their paws as they crested the last hill separating them from the NeverNoon pack; more of the day had escaped while they had fled towards the rim of the basin than Daesung had planned on. But, there, he could see the outcropping of rocks Yongguk had described to him. At last, he thought, they would be able to make for the mountains. He barked an order to Amber, commanding her to keep the pack moving at a steady pace, before he burst forward in a sudden run - cutting across the sand at a speed that nearly made him seem to fly, his paws barely skimming the ground as he moved. Approaching the rocks, he growled out a warning, letting the hidden wolves know he was coming upon them fast. Yongguk appeared at the top of the outcropping and waved to Daesung. He then leapt down off the rocks and called for his pack to assemble outside; he knew the other alpha intended to stop just long enough to grab them. There was no time for pleasantries. "Nichkhun," he called. The other alpha trotted over, his features tight with stress. "You're going to ride on my back to the foothills, so you can hold Tzuyu."

"Are you sure?" Nichkhun gave his pack leader a wary look. Yongguk had, time and again, made certain his pack ate before he did - breaking all protocol - which meant he was not as strong as he otherwise would be. The strain of carrying Nichkhun and his Goddess Touched pup, even for just a few hours, seemed cruel.

But, Yongguk simply smiled faintly. "I am your leader. I will carry you to the foothills. Once we get that far, all of us are going to ride. The mountain wolves have already planned to carry us - their leader is well aware of our state." He held Nichkhun's gaze. "Trust me just this last time, Khun. I promise... I promise it's going to be alright." After a moment, the other alpha nodded his consent. Yongguk quickly shifted into his wolf form: brown and dark grey with tan points. He was not nearly so big as other alphas - Hakyeon and Nichkhun were both taller than him - but Yongguk made up for it in his strength. The pack leader, when healthy, was a brick wall of muscle, but even emaciated there was still breadth to his shoulders and a steadiness to him that inspired confidence in his abilities. It had been Yongguk, with his persistence and inventiveness, that had kept them alive as long as they had been. Who was Nichkhun to lose faith in him now? Moving back to the shelter of the rocks, Nichkhun picked up little Tzuyu and wrapped her in a sling, keeping her pressed close to his chest to shade her from the harsh rays of the sun. He then slipped over to Yongguk and settled on his back as smoothly as he could, curling his hands around the straps of the wolf's bag. It was not the most comfortable ride Nichkhun had taken - both the pack and the alpha's bony frame were not conducive to comfort - but it would do.

Daesung paused just long enough to count how many wolves were coming - ten, including Nichkhun and the infant in his arms. It would make things difficult, once they came to the mountains, but they would make it, one way or another. The honey-gold alpha inclined his head to the other pack leader before almost immediately breaking into a trot, his course set as firmly as his heart was towards the peaks of the mountains. Yongguk immediately fell in behind him, moving forward with his head held high, and the rest of his pack fell in with them. Only Hakyeon hung back slightly, his tail hung low and ears pinned nervously to his skull. He glanced nervously towards the approaching Excelsior wolves before darting forward to run alongside Jinyoung, whose small frame did little to hide the distinctively leggy shape of Hakyeon's wolf. But, the alpha at least felt better with a barrier between himself and the wolves he was so certain he would never see again. Had he been in his human form, he would have choked out a laugh when he felt the press of a familiar body at his side. Turning his head, he looked down at the dark red of Kyungsoo's fur framing bright, dark eyes. The delta whimpered happily, tail wagging behind him, before he pressed his nose against Hakyeon's shoulder. Heart clenching, Hakyeon managed to return the fond nudge before he pretended to concentrate on running; Daesung had picked up the pace to something that was bordering on cruel. Soon, none of the wolves had to pretend to focus on simply putting one paw in front of the other; the pace the Excelsior pack leader had set was meant to get them to the foothills by nightfall, come hell or high water.

Dusk had painted the sand lavender as the last rays of the sun sunk beyond the horizon when it happened. There, as indigo night melted into a pink haze where earth met the sky, the first descant of the hunt split the air. First it was only a single howl - the wolf who had caught sight of the pack fleeing across the rolling dunes - but that lone voice was quickly joined by two, three, ten voices. Daesung kept his ears pointed forward, straining with every fibre of his being towards the looming dark blue of the mountains. But then, his heart dropped. More answering howls came from the west and east. They were framed on three sides by at least forty wolves. Had Hong Man sent his entire army to hunt them into the ground? The alpha snorted. He knew better. The brutish wolf had far more than forty wolves at his command, but this was a task force clearly sent with the intent order to kill the mountain wolves: It rang clear in every cold, quivering note of their hunting song. 

Bomi stumbled, crashing into Ilhoon and sending them to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Amber was immediately at their side, nudging them both to their feet and back into a run. The younger Goddess Touched ran as best she could, though it was clear the strength was finely waning from her body. Stopping at the crest of the foothills, Daesung looked out across the waving sagebrush and weeds that clustered at the foot of the mountains like a golden carpet dried from the burning heat of the desert sun. If they could just make it across... He glanced over at Taekwoon, who dipped his head in understanding. 

Drawing in a breath, the Excelsior pack leader let out a howl - the notes rising in open opposition to the enemy. His wolves charged past him, answering howls slipping past their lips, crying defiance to the stars. The NeverNoon wolves tried to draw strength from the power of their companions, but not even the clear sound of wolf song was enough to override the chill of fear that settled into their too thin flesh. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. How could the Excelsior wolves be so brazen in the face of so much danger? But, Daesung did not give them the opportunity to dwell on their despair. With a snarl, the large alpha snapped at Bomi and Jinyoung, who brought up the end of the line. With a yelp, Bomi started forward in a sudden burst of speed; even Jinyoung managed to stumble ahead faster. Any time a wolf slowed, the honey-gold alpha was on them, snapping and snarling until their pace matched the other wolves as they ran. Even Jiyong, his precious mate, was on the receiving end of the treatment, surprise circling his eyes in white at Daesung's ferocity. 

Stumbling at last to the mouth of the canyon, the pack was allowed to draw to a halt - some collapsing where they stood. Daesung whirled, body low to the ground in preparation for the attack. His keen eyes scanned the darkness for any sign of movement, but not even the shadows of their enemies were yet visible. But, they were coming. He could smell them on their air - forty alphas and betas.  

Daesung shifted and turned to Taekwoon. "Do you think you'll be able to hold them?" he asked, chest heaving as he fought for breath. The ebony wolf nodded. 

WooYoung, who had shifted the moment they had stopped running, gaped at Daesung. "You expect him to hold them back?" he gasped. A laugh, desperate and strained, slipped past his lips. "You're insane. He's a delta. There's no way he can hold back two alphas, let alone that many."

Dark eyes serious, the Excelsior pack leader placed a steadying hand on Taekwoon's shoulder. "He is the only chance we have. We could fight, but in our current state we would be no match for them. Only a delta or omega would be able to hold them back."

The discordant cacophony of snarls severed the conversation before WooYoung's indignation could blossom into full outrage. Nichkhun cradled his baby close to his chest, trying to hush her tired crying even as he watched death itself materialize from the shadows. Even Yongguk, hopeful as he was, trembled in exhaustion and fear. They were utterly outmatched, and only Taekwoon stood between them and destruction. It was laughable.

Until, stepping forward, Taekwoon began to glow. Daesung stepped back, as though fully expecting this to happen, and wrapped his arms tightly around Jiyong. The glow began to intensify as it melted into flickering tongues of light that blossomed to arch over Taekwoon in a wreath of fire, lighting the darkness as though a small sun had descended from the sky. A strangled noise of surprise slid past several pairs of lips. With a snarl, the delta launched a fireball at a daring alpha, who had approached regardless of the strangeness of the sight before him. With a yelp, the wolf crashed back into the writhing line of its compatriots as fire - very real and painful - came into contact with its fur. Taekwoon's lips curled in a pleased snarl as the enemy stumbled back, fearful for the first time. 

"W-what?" Jiyong managed to stutter, looking up at his mate.

"Alphas and betas are given great physical strength," Daesung murmured, "but the Goddess did not leave her omegas and deltas without protection." He glanced down into the wide eyes of his mate. "She gave them powerful magic to protect where brute strength could not." Daesung frowned. "Do your people not use those gifts?"

"Only alphas are allowed to use any kind of magic in the basin," Sehun said, stepping forward as Taekwoon launched yet another fireball. Hong Man's wolves were beginning to realize, though, that Taekwoon could only shoot one fireball at a time. Some were beginning to become bolder, attacking in pairs to see if they could break past the ring of fire surrounding the wolf. "It's how they keep lower ranks in check." He scoffed. "But that doesn't mean everyone plays by the rules." Without another word, Sehun ran forward to stand beside Taekwoon. "I can help," he called. "I used to make small windstorms on my own. I can kick one up and pick up some of that dry grass. If you light that on fire, maybe we could cut them off." 

Tao, who had rushed to follow his mate, found himself held back by a strong hand curled around his bicep. "Stay with Henry," Amber ordered. The beta was immediately cowed by the alpha's orders and drew back to stand next to the copper delta. Amber ran forward, calling, "Sehun, I can help you focus your abilities. Let's make it a tornado. Set the plain on fire." 

Sehun turned and stared into her eyes, trembling a little at the power he saw there. But, slowly, he nodded. "If you can help, I'll do what I can."

A reckless sort of grin turned Amber's lips, wide and toothy. "I train the puppies back home in their abilities; it's my gift. You just turn around and see if you can harnass those winds of yours. Taekwoon and I will do the rest." Facing back towards the enemy, Sehun drew a tremulous breath before holding his hands out wide, palms turned towards the sky. The winds coming out of the canyon grew in strength until they were whipping around the Excelsior and NeverNoon wolves in an uneasy whirl, driving Hong Man's wolves back a few steps.

Amber pressed her palms against the beta's shoulder blades, and it was as if the world suddenly fell away. Fear, anxiety, and guilt melted into silence filled only with the sound of their breathing, which quickly synced. Sehun shuddered. He could feel Amber's presence behind him like the warmth of the summer sun; she was all golden light and warm welcome - things he had never known. His life had been cold indifference and survival of the fittest; there was no kindness among his pack, only survival. But as she drew in a deep breath, he matched her - lungs filling with pine-scented air. He felt more than heard her command to draw the winds together, pressing them close like the fibers of wool being pulled into a finely spun skein of yarn. Exhaling, he brought his hands together, and with it the winds drew close until they tangled and tripped together in a riot of currents. Opening his eyes - when had he closed them? - he saw the world moving in seeming slow motion. Two alphas were preparing to jump at them from the right, and to the left a trio of betas were ready to follow an alpha into their midst. With swift gestures from both hands, he sent the winds pummeling into them, knocking them off their feet. Amber's hands shifted on his back, and he remembered the plan. The grass. He needed the grass. Drawing in another breath, he pushed his hands out, casting the winds to gather up as much as the golden, brittle kindling as possible. And then, rustling their complaint, he gathered them back together into a funnel of wind and weeds that towered thirty feet into the air. 

Fire - raw and golden - blossomed in the heart of the small tornado, blistering to life with unnatural ferocity. Soon the entire column of air was consumed in fire as the grass burned, and Sehun was enraptured by the pure, feral beauty of it. But, he knew the flames alone would not do their work. Following the steady guidance of Amber's hands on his back, he moved his body through a few fluid motions that sent the whirlwind of fire arching before the huddled wolves, cutting through the grass in a fatal bow. In its wake, the funnel left a burning trail, as though it were a comet leaving flames in the night sky in its wake. Smoke and fire and shrieks of pain filled the night air in an unholy song; death had come to walk in the shadow of the mountain. Sehun's body began to tremble with the strain of holding the winds together; he had never held something so big before. He had spent his teenage years playing with little whirlwinds and dust devils while hiding from whatever beating his alpha wanted to give him that week for being an insolent pup. This monstrosity, beautiful and deadly, was too much for him to handle, and it showed in the sweat pouring down the sides of his face. But then, like golden sunlight, came the warmth of Amber's voice: "Let go, Sehun. You're done." His world faded into black respite as his hands dropped, the tornado dying as its creator slipping into unconsciousness. 

Amber caught Sehun as he fell.

"Tao, can you carry him for a little while?" Daesung said, twisting to face the beta. "We need to get up that canyon as best we can, and it'd help if you could carry him. I know you've still got some strength in you." If nothing else, the Golden Moon beta was strong and well-fed; unlike the NeverNoon wolves he had not collapsed on arrival. Tao nodded, features set in a determined expression. "NeverNoon, you need to ride from here on out. Taecyeon, take Yongguk, Nichkhun, and the baby. Chansung, you've got Jinyoung and Bomi." While Daesung gave out orders, Amber worked at strapping Sehun to Tao's back. "Amber, you'll take Ilhoon and Leehi. Taekwoon, you'll take Hakyeon. I'll carry Woohyun and Minhyuk. Let's go! That fire's only going to cover us for so long!" And with the smoke and flames covering their escape, the band of wolves at last set foot in the mountains. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday, lilspydermunkey! I hope you enjoyed this Shadow update as your gift. :D I will hopefully be getting another update on this out in the next week, as we continue to flee to the Excelsior packlands. I've been waiting to write this chapter for a while; the image of the fire tornado has been all but burning itself in my mind since about halfway through chapter one. I'm so happy it's finally out. And with it comes the big secret: There's magic!! If you look throughout the rest of the fic, you can actually see hints of it. Once they get going, it is going to be even more apparent how much magic is in the world. It's gonna be good!   
> I should also clarify on heights. The wolves are big - like really big. Chansung and Taecyeon, who are the biggest in our band of heroes, are the size of Shire horses. To help you visualize: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/05/26/article-1187707-05179EFA000005DC-821_634x423.jpg
> 
> Basically giant. Figured I'd clear that up, so you can see how they're able to carry so many people. And, being magical wolves, they have a lot more endurance than your average wolf - yay magic. Anyway, if you have any questions, comments, or feel the need to flail, please feel free to do so in the comments. As always, thank you so much for reading! (Also, sorry for any typos. I've not proofed this like I normally would. Thank you for your patience and understanding!)


	8. Run

Morning crawled in on claws dipped in exhaustion and a bitter chill. The weary wolves barely managed to creak their eyes open as Yongguk, who had spent the night holding watch against the darkness, went about waking them. Daesung was the first to shake himself fully awake, rising to his feet in jilting, stuttered motion; oh how he ached. Stretching up on his toes, the alpha reached towards the sky, causing his back to crackle its protest as abused joints popped. He then shook his arms out and swung them about, loosening his shoulders in preparation for the journey ahead.

"How long do you think they'll hold out?" Taecyeon asked suddenly, looming at Daesung's side.

The alpha tipped his head back to look up at the taller wolf. "What do you mean?"

Taecyeon nodded to the basin wolves. "We're already carrying the NeverNoon wolves. I can't imagine the rest of them lasting too long, once we get up the mountain. Do you think they'll last long enough?"

Reaching over, Daesung gave his arm a squeeze. "We'll make it, Taecyeon. Don't worry. Just... just two days. We can make it."

A doubtful look scrawled across Taecyeon's sharp, handsome features. He was not certain he believed his alpha's claims. It was one thing to run leisurely with only your mate on your back, and another thing all together to flee deadly pursuit with two to three times the weight on your back. Taecyeon was uncertain of their success, which worried Daesung. Normally the brunette beta was boundlessly optimistic - the first one to believe that the impossible was possible with a bit of hard work. But, it was too late to regret his decision to help the NeverNoon wolves. When he had taken upon himself the mantel of pack leader, Daesung had made vows before the Goddess that He would never turn away one of Her children, if they came to him in need. This was him fulfilling that promise. He would not be a worthy mate to his Jiyong if he abjured those sacred obligations that came with his station.

"Just keep praying," Daesung advised. "The Goddess will give us strength." He gave the beta's shoulder one last pat before moving to help Jiyong to his feet. "Morning, Jiyong." The omega flushed when his mate leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek. "Eat quickly. We need to be moving as soon as possible."

"Yes, alpha." Jiyong wrinkled his nose affectionately at Daesung.

The pack leader gave his mate a curious look. He did not understand why his mate was calling him by his rank, but he would ask him about it later. Right then he had to worry about seeing that breakfast was distributed quickly and that assignments were made for when the rest of the basin wolves fell victim to the thin air. When at last they were ready to leave, he hesitated at the sight of Yongguk pulling Nichkhun to his side. "You two need to get settled," he called over.

Yongguk lifted his chin a little, meeting Daesung's gaze. "If I carry him as long as possible, it'll spare your wolves a little. They'll need their strength later." A shadow fell on Daesung's features. The NeverNoon alpha was hard-working and proud, but the dramatic jut of his collarbones and drastic hollow of his cheek spelled out how vulnerable his body must be. As though sensing Daesung's objections, Yongguk drew his lips into a thin line. "I'll keep up. When I can't, then we'll ride."

"As you wish." Daesung was not in the mood to argue; there were more pressing matters at hand. Shifting, he trotted over to Woohyun and Minhyuk, allowing the emaciated wolves to climb onto his shoulders. He then turned to make certain that Jiyong was shifted and ready to go, bag strapped to his back. Satisfied, the alpha barked softly to his ragtag pack before starting off at a quick trot. Moving up the mountain face was at first a simple matter of following the deer trails that wound lazily up the canyon. Daesung focused on leading for the time being, knowing that soon enough he would have to return to his role of ruthless task master. The further up the mountain they went, the cooler the air became - the burning heat of the desert melting into crisp, pine-scented air. Jiyong tipped his head from side to side as they moved along the trail; he had never seen so much green in all of his life. Even though the grass was a brittle yellow, the steadily larger trees were weighted down with bouquets of green leaves, thick and glossy in the morning light. There were even flowers poking up in clusters of purple and white here and there, swaying lightly in the breeze created by the passage of the wolves. He could not help wondering what Daesung's home was like, if this was only the barest hint of what the mountains held. Would it be full of trees or rocky? Perhaps there would be a river or maybe even a grassy plain. The omega made a mental note to ask his mate about his home when next they stopped. Surely there would be time for cuddles and stories as they drifted off to sleep that night.

When the sun finally hung high enough in the sky that it burned down through the branches of the trees, Daesung drew to a halt and lowered himself to the ground, signaling for the deltas to get off. Once the NeverNoon wolves were on their feet, he shifted and rolled his shoulders. "We should have a quick meal. Rest as best you can. Drink." His stern orders were quickly followed, as the wolves collapsed in the shade and passed around food from the stores Amber had pulled from the festival stores. While his pack replenished themselves, Daesung moved to stand on top of a tall rock - surveying the trail behind them. A frown twisted his lips. Moving to stand beside him, Amber sighed. "We're not going to get an easy day, are we?" she asked, her warm alto voice lilting in the hush.

Daesung snorted. "The Goddess wants us to work for our mates," he said simply. "If we can just make it to our pack lands, we'll be fine..."

Arching an eyebrow, Amber looked over at him. "Is there any doubt that we will make it that far?"

The pack leader looked over at the other alpha. "Just see that everyone finishes eating quickly."

"You better make sure you eat too, Daesung," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "You won't be any use if you collapse from a lack of food. Worrying can wait for when you're running; you're always better at thinking on your paws, anyway."

A tight laugh slid past Daesung's lips. "Yes, Amber." He poked his tongue out at her before moving to sit beside Jiyong, allowing the omega to snuggle close to him and offer him a sandwich. Amber sighed as the worried crease remained between Daesung's brows; he was far too good at worrying - it wasn't healthy.

Once they had finished eating and emptying two of the canteens of their water, the wolves yet again formed ranks - this time with Amber leading them up the mountainside. Daesung yet again melted to the back of the ranks, his ears twisting restlessly on the top of his head as they moved. More than once, Jiyong almost tripped over his paws as he looked back to check on his mate, making Wooyoung yip with soft laughter. When he noticed his mate's behavior, Daesung snorted and ducked his head. He had never been looked at with so much adoration before, not even by his siblings or the other wolves of his pack. It was confusing, to think that someone he had only just met thought so highly of him. Were he more of a romantic, the alpha might have supposed it was the magic of destined mates sinking into Jiyong's veins and filling him with emotions that had not been given time to blossom. But, that was not how mateship worked. It was toil and uncertainty until, with time, familiarity took root as the deepest, most piercing form of love. Heechul, his Bao, had once described it as having a rosebush twisting its way through his ribs, producing both great beauty and great pain as it flourished. Love, he had explained, was giving someone else permission to know you so well they could either bring everlasting happiness or soul-crushing devastation. Daesung had always been wary of falling in love, because of those sentiments. He had thought it would be easier to be in a comfortable relationship without the demands of love. But, something deep in the hollow of his bones would not be satisfied with such a weak shadow of feeling. His wolf, with its wild spirit, demanded they find a true mate, one who would be the perfect companion. It had been several years of burning, wanting dissatisfaction that had eventually lead to Daesung seeking the Goddess' will, asking where he could find the mate She had promised was somewhere in the wide world waiting for him. And She had sent him Jiyong, an omega as beautiful as he was fragile. Daesung was uncertain what to make of such a gift: He had never thought to have an omega for a mate. But, he could sense there would be a cost for such a blessing. His mate was an imperfect being, one constantly on the edge of a knife edged with self-doubt and loathing. Daesung did not understand what the basin wolves had done to make his mate hate himself so, but it was clear in the pure wonder written in Jiyong's face every time their gazes met: His mate did not believe he was worthy of Daesung.

The alpha snorted to himself.

It was actually somewhat fitting, wasn't it? Daesung did not believe himself worthy of such a beautiful omega, and Jiyong did not believe himself worthy of Daesung. Perhaps they truly were a matched pair, though perhaps not in the most traditional sense.

Thoughts of love and the future carried Daesung further up the mountain than he had realized. In fact, looking around, he was surprised to find that the grass was the deep green that could only come with proper rain and cooler temperatures. Flowers were thicker on the ground, and there were even clumps of bushes thick with berries littering the landscape around them. As though to punctuate the picturesque nature of the scene, a large yellow butterfly fluttered past, pausing to land on a large white blossom. This was the type of land he knew and loved: Wild, certainly, but full to the brim with life. He had been unnerved by the desert, because it was so open, so exposed and so empty. Logically, he knew that there were living creatures in the desert – there had to be for the plants and wolves to flourish – but there had been few traces of them during the day. Only at night could he hear the haunted cries of the birds or the sand as it shifted beneath tiny paws. Were it not for Chansung and Taecyeon’s hunt, the alpha would have doubted any prey lived in the basin at all. But, life was more tenacious than he had ever supposed: It thrived in an environment Daesung could never imagine surviving in. Thankfully, though, the Excelsior wolves did not have to remain there and were instead able to return to the mountains – home.

Daesung’s flickering ears suddenly caught on a strange sound: silence. In the mountains, there was rarely such a thing as perfect silence. Distant birds were often wont to sing and rodents delighted in scurrying through the underbrush; sometimes he could even hear the distant prey stepping delicately through the bushes, their steps hesitant in the face of potential danger. But, there was none of that, even though it had been present mere minutes before. His body stiffened with awareness; he had let his mind wander too long. Thought them too safe.

The alpha twisted his body just in time to intercept an attacking beta – a scout sent ahead by Hong Man’s dogs – dumping Woohyun and Minhyuk with the motion. With a snarl, Daesung grabbed the wolf by the throat and through him bodily into a nearby tree. He turned to growl at his pack, sending them darting forward – following Amber as she hurtled through the underbrush. Jiyong kept glancing over his shoulder, watching as Daesung fought the beta with surprising ruthlessness. The distinct sound of a gurgled whimper pressed Jiyong ahead faster, his gaze locked forward. Daesung, Woohyun, and Minhyuk were soon where they belonged at the end of the line. The scent of blood clung heavily to the air around the pack leader as he snapped at the stragglers, pressing them to continue recklessly forward.

Everything blurred together as the wolves – yet again – found themselves hopelessly running towards the illusion of safety. Daesung had no idea where they were going, but he trusted Amber to guide them to a place where they could either fight or escape. Surely, he thought, the Goddess would not have sent them to the basin to find their mates only to see them perish on the return trip. He had to believe that, even when the situation seemed so hopeless, there was a chance they would escape.

Amber lead the nearly frantic wolves down a path only she could see: one ringed in the lavender essence that she had long ago learned to associate with their Goddess. It was not until they had nearly run over the edge that the Goddess Touched wolf realized the roaring in her ears was not the unruly coursing of blood but instead of tumult of a waterfall. Skidding to a stop, she barked a warning that could barely be heard over the cacophony of the water. She stared uncomprehendingly at the wide stretch of the falls and the plummet down, down, down to where the river continued its course. On the distant bank, so close and yet so far, she could see the lavender trail winding out of sight. Shifting, Daesung ran to the edge of cliff and considered the distance. “It’s too far to jump,” he yelled. “I think it’d even be too far for Chansung to safely throw us.” Besides the fact that the beta would then be trapped on the other side of the river, left at the mercy of Hong Man’s hounds. 

Switching forms, Amber moved to stand at Daesung’s side. “I don’t understand,” she shouted. “The trail clearly leads here. I don’t – this makes no sense!” Behind them, the pack shifted restlessly at the uncertainty and fear coloring both of the alphas’ voices.

After everyone had shifted, they all gathered at the edge of the cliff and looked across the distance. It was Chansung, standing at the back of the group, that noticed the large trees clinging to the edge of the shore. “We could make a bridge,” he called, even as the sounds of howls filled the path behind them. Daesung frowned in confusion, and the beta pointed to the trees. “If I use my strength, I might be able to push it over. That one’s sure to be big enough to span the distance.”

“Using your magic will sap your strength,” Amber called, frowning. “You’d be useless on the other side.”

Chansung shrugged. “Unless you’ve got another brilliant idea, it might be all we’ve got.”

There was a tense moment. Amber wanted to spare Chansung the use of his powers; as a beta, he lacked the deep magical reservoirs a delta or omega innately had. And, worse than that, Chansung did not need to use his magic often, so he was not the most in practice.  Just as she was about to open her mouth to agree, the alpha felt a tug on her sleeve. Looking down, Amber was surprised to find Kyungsoo at her side. “We need to knock the tree over? I… If you help me. I could do it.”

Her eyebrows disappeared into the thick golden fringe of her hair. “What?” Her voice was too soft to be heard over the rushing water, but Kyungsoo caught her meaning all the same.

Flushing, he began to pick at the ragged hem of his shirt. “I can do it. If you help me,” he repeated. Looking over his shoulder, he offered Chansung a feeble smile. “If it’ll spare Chansung.”

“Have you ever used your abilities?” Amber asked, frown deepening.

“Enough to know I can do it,” Kyungsoo said. His brows drew low over his large eyes and his lips pulled into a firm line; his expression dared her to refuse him. Amber exchanged a hopeless look with Daesung.

“Whatever you’re going to do,” the pack leader said, “make it fast. We’ve not got time to mess around.”

The howls were growing louder, more insistent. They were coming.

Muttering under her breath, Amber grabbed Kyungsoo by the sleeve and pulled him over to the tree. “Alright, Kyungsoo, you’re going to have to focus. I’ll be here to guide you, but most of it is going to have to come from you. If you get distracted, it’ll never work.”

All she received in reply was a firm nod from the small delta. She mentally shrugged before placing her hands on Kyungsoo’s back, just as she had for Sehun the day before. Chansung, drawn to his mate, drifted close enough to stand between the pair and the approaching enemies. If nothing else, he could go down protecting his mate, hoping to give him a chance to escape to safety. The other wolves formed ranks, with the weakest members closer to the shore while the others formed a protective ring. Kyungsoo took a slow breath, trying to steady the erratic beating of his heart, before he placed his hands on the tree trunk.

He drew in another breath. The too-skinny wolf focused on the feel of the bark beneath his hands – rough and biting – and the faint give of the mud beneath his toes. Pressing the ball of his foot into the earth, he leaned into the tree even as Amber’s hands came to rest on his back. She called something to him, perhaps some instructions, but the delta could not hear her. But there was no need. Kyungsoo could hear the murmur of the rocks and the sluggish coursing of sap in the tree’s ancient veins; he could hear the swaying of the little strands of grass and the squelching song of the mud; he could hear the earth. _I am sorry,_ he thought, caressing the bark lightly before reaching into the golden pool of power that rested in the back of his mind. He imagined it flowing out from his fingertips and into the tree, down the trunk, and into the earth. At first, nothing happened. In the distance, he could just make out the sound of Daesung’s voice calling out. Then, slowly, the tree groaned its acquiescence and the earth began to pull away from the firm tangle of roots that had kept the ancient giant in place for centuries.

All of the wolves stopped and turned towards the tree.

For a moment, it quivered – proud and tall against the bright blue of the sky – before shuddering. It swayed for a breath, threatening to topple on the wolves, before slowly arching towards the distant shore. Kyungsoo stumbled back, dragging Amber with him, as the massive clump of roots was loosed from the earth. The tree crashed across the waterfall, bouncing once, twice, three times before it stilled. Shivering, Kyungsoo took a step towards Chansung before his legs gave out on him entirely. In a heartbeat, the beta had swept his mate into his arms. “Let’s go,” the brunette cried before, balancing his mate as best he could in his arms, climbing onto the tree. Taking a deep breath, and trusting in the delta’s abilities with all his heart, Chansung started out across the trunk and over the void.

Daesung waited just long enough to make certain the trunk would hold before he began to order other wolves across. “Hurry,” he cried. “Everybody needs to move.” Taekwoon moved to yet again stand between his pack and danger, but Daesung caught him by the arm. “Not this time, Taekwoon. I need you to cross over. If… If it gets to that point, you need to be ready to set the trunk on fire. Protect the pack.” The quiet delta’s eyes widened. He was not the type to voice his protests, but the thought of leaving his pack leader alone to face the hoard was written in the whites of his eyes. He could no more imagine abandoning Daesung than he would his own family. Actually, abandoning Daesung was worse than leaving his family behind; the pack needed the honey-blond to guide them, to lead them. If he were to die, they would yet again be thrown into chaos, just as they had when the last pack leader had unexpectedly passed. Breath catching, Taekwoon gave his head a stubborn shake. He could protect his alpha better at his side. But, Daesung growled. “I said go.” And there, woven into the words, was a command Taekwoon could not violate. Ducking his head, the delta drug himself over to the trunk and, glancing over his shoulder, climbed onto it. He hesitated only a moment before starting across, pace sluggish at best. Just because he would follow the command did not mean he had to do it quickly or happily. 

Daesung turned, ready to face the oncoming wolves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun! D: Whatever will happen?
> 
> Anyway, here is an update in honor of the fact that today is my AFF birthday (you can find me there as The-Nev). I've been part of at site for an entire year, so I got an update done in honor of that. Gasp! Sorry if there are any mistakes; I didn't have the chance to read back through this. I might do that tomorrow, if I have time. Hopefully you guys enjoyed this installment. Hopefully there won't be a huge gap between this and the next chapter. Let me know what you thought in the comments; I thrive on your feedback. <3


	9. Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've not read chapter eight, be sure to go back and read it! Miracle of miracles, I'm updating twice in twenty-four hours. I have no idea what's up with me.

Jiyong was utterly engrossed in crossing the river. One foot carefully placed in front of the other, arms held out for balance, hair hanging loose in his eyes – puffing up with each huff of breath he let out. At first it was easy to cross, because the trunk was so wide, but the further he went the narrower it became. By two-thirds across the water, the omega wobbled with each step because he could not fit both feet side by side. Behind him, he could hear encouraging murmurs from Wooyoung, who had always been the more graceful one between them and so was having little trouble keeping up with Jiyong. “This is the only time I wish I were a cat,” the omega muttered, even as he recovered from slipping on the mist-slick bark. “Skies. There’s a reason wolves don’t climb trees.”

Wooyoung humored him with a tight, breathless laugh. “Come on, Ji. Keep going. You’re nearly there.”

Had they not been in a hurry, Jiyong would have turned to pierce his cousin with a wry look. Instead, he simply continued along as best he could, just placing one foot in front of the other. When he came to the end of the trunk, he all but fell off and into Taecyeon’s waiting arms. The beta carefully set him out of the way before turning to help Wooyoung down – a move the alpha strangely permitted. Perhaps, Jiyong thought, it was because he did not want to risk being swept away. Or maybe he was being polite. Or, just maybe, he was starting to soften towards his mate-to-be. Jiyong knew that Wooyoung had his reasons for being so cold towards Taecyeon, but it hurt the brunette to see both his cousin and the gentle beta in so much needless anguish.

Thinking of his own mate, Jiyong moved to where he could see the distant shore. His eyes trailed along the trunk, searching for Daesung. About halfway across was Hakyeon, who was movingly lightly on four paws across the trunk. He had opted to have a lower center of gravity, thinking it might help him make the crossing more quickly. Jiyong could not help admiring the fine line of Hakyeon’s long black legs and the way they bled up into the beautiful red of his coat. Hakyeon was a type of wolf Jiyong had never heard of – a maned wolf – and had apparently come from the far eastern reaches of the land; his people were prone to wandering, he had explained, and rarely stayed as a stable pack. It was nice to see him embracing the Goddess’ ways and remaining in a pack, even though he had every reason to abandon the NeverNoon wolves to their anguish. Jiyong admired his resilience.

And there, trailing like the tail to Hakyeon’s comet, came Taekwoon. The man’s feature was, as always, set in a stony expression. Admittedly, Jiyong was still very shy around Taekwoon – not that he wasn’t shy around everyone – because of his piercing gaze. It felt like the delta could strip away a person layer by layer, carefully peeling back flesh and muscle and bone until he could examine the bare soul within. Jiyong found it more than a little unsettling. But, at the same time, the delta seemed strangely gentle. He had spent part of the night holding the baby, Tzuyu, and hushing her. Jiyong had even overheard the wolf singing a soft lullaby, one that sent the baby almost immediately to sleep. There had been such a look of tenderness on Taekwoon’s face that the omega had felt intrusive, as though he were watching a masterwork of glass being created. Jiyong sighed. He hoped the delta was able to have a family of his own, someday; chances were he’d be an excellent parent.

Continuing on down the trunk, Jiyong searched for the familiar form of his mate: broad shoulders, sunny smile, focused gaze. But, he was nowhere along the trunk. Frantically, the wolf twisted to make certain the alpha had not slipped past him while he had been daydreaming, but Daesung was nowhere to be found. Just as he was about to open his lips to ask someone where the pack leader had gone, the delicate omega caught the sound of growls echoing across the water. Fear shot through his veins, and every instinct in his body cried for him to drop to the ground, to hide from the awful sounds. And then his heart stopped. He knew the sound of that voice. Everything from the huskiness of the growl to the way it echoed in Jiyong’s bones made the identity plain even before he caught sight of his mate on the other shore. “Daesung!” Jiyong made to leap forward, clawing towards the log, when a pair of arms locked firmly around his waist. “What are you doing? Let go!” He lashed out with both feet and clawed at the forearms of his captor.

“Running over there won’t help him,” Taecyeon ground out, tightening his grip on the flailing wolf. “Be still, Jiyong! He’ll cross as soon as he can.”

Oh, those words.

Jiyong felt them burrow under his skin, filling every muscle in his body with electric dread. He could not hold still – he was overwhelmed with the urge to run to his mate – but Taecyeon’s grip was an impossible iron loop around his waist. A choked sob caught in his throat as Taekwoon landed on their side of the shore; the delta’s face grew more and more wan as the snarls grew in ferocity. “Please,” Jiyong begged. “Someone help him.” He clawed at the beta’s arm until his nails were raw and ragged, the blood making his grip slick.

His heart stuttered as Daesung came at last into sight; but, he was not on the trunk. Rearing up on his back paws, the alpha was a masterpiece of power in action: His beautiful golden fur was taut over his coiled muscles, and there was an aura about him that seemed to overwhelm the scene. It was as though the stock wolf had somehow grown in size, though nothing about his build had undergone a change. But even Hong Man’s wolves seemed to sense the difference. Rather than charge Daesung immediately, they had lingered in the tree line, whining to one another in uncertainty at the sight of the single wolf. There had been a fire in his eyes, one that burned with more intensity than even the firestorm from the night before, that caused their tails to tuck between their legs. He was a true alpha.

But, more terrifying than the lone wolf before them was the thought of returning to their master empty handed. Hong Man was ruthless enough in the best of moods; if their prey escaped, he would be unspeakably cruel in the punishment he offered. Surely they were enough to match a single, exhausted wolf. The snarls had begun when a mated pair had leapt forward and sought to dig their curved fangs into the soft flesh of Daesung’s throat. In a smooth motion, the alpha had slammed his body into one, pinning it beneath him, while kicking out at the other with his powerful hind legs. His attacker was sent tumbling tail over snout while Daesung dealt with the creature beneath him, fang and flesh meeting in a bloody gurgle. He had risen to his paws just in time for three other wolves to work up the courage to attack (they did not act in vengeance for the slain wolf, because compassion and loyalty had long been carved out of their hearts). Rearing back, Daesung had launched himself at them, rolling in a mass of claws and fur and growls. As he tore into the haunch of one wolf, he heard a distinct howl of sorrow across the water: The notes ripped raw and ruthless from Jiyong’s throat as Taekwoon followed his orders.

Soon the air was thick with the scent of smoke as wood was consumed by the relentless tongues of Taekwoon’s fire. The tree groaned as the flames ate away at its core, caught as much from within as from without, and one of the attacking wolves raced to try to cross the trunk. A yowl of pain filled the air as the wolf found the way blocked by fire; unable to press forward, it had turned only to find the path behind ablaze as well. Pressing heat and smothering smoke soon wrought their final, fatal touch on the wolf, sending it crashing lifelessly into the water. Hissing, the trunk began to shift even as Daesung broke clear of the pile of wolves he had been buried in. He spared a glance across the water, his gaze latching immediately on Jiyong. The omega was clearly crying – his entire face flushed with upset – as he continued to try to fight against Taecyeon’s grip. Seeing Daesung looking at him, Jiyong let out another howl and seemed to redouble his efforts.

There has to be a way, Daesung thought, frantically scanning the trunk. But, the entire thing was engulfed in fire and had begun to collapse in on itself. He sucked in a breath as another alpha crashed into his side, sinking their fangs into his shoulder. Rolling, he dislodged the wolf before recklessly running towards the water. Paws digging into the lichen-laced rock, the pack leader threw himself into the air – blood splattering on the stone in stark contrast to the dull grey. His body connected with the water in a shivering gasp of awareness. The cold water sunk itself into his fur, seeking to drag him beneath the surface like ten thousand grasping hands. Catching his paws beneath him, the wolf forced himself towards the surface – breaking clear with a sputter. Each stroke of his paws pushed him above the water before the current drug him back under, death and darkness waiting for the inevitable exhaustion to set in. It was the thought of Jiyong, his face illuminated by the moonlight as they exchanged their vows, that brought the alpha to the surface again and again. He had only a wild hope that the tree would collapse and block the river just long enough to still the current, allowing him to make it to the other side. It seemed his prayer would be answered when the trunk shuddered as the fire cut cleanly through the wood, and it crashed into the water in a plume of smoke. But, Hong Man’s wolves were quick to notice that the water put the flames out, leaving the trunk partially clear. A brazen beta launched itself onto the blackened trunk – paws screaming out in pain – and began to race across. Daesung could not even choke out a warning as he fought to remain afloat, but Chansung, reliable Chansung, saw the danger.

Running to the trunk, the beta wrapped his hands about it and, using his tremendous strength, sent it toppling into the river. As quickly as Daesung’s hopes had risen, they were swept away by the rushing currents as half the trunk was cast over the waterfall. He was proud of the young beta: He had chosen the pack over the individual, just as he had been raised to. Jiyong and the others would be safe long enough to make it to the pack lands. Daesung’s limbs began to feel heavy in the water, sluggishly cutting through the froth and foam at the surface, as he continued to struggle towards the shore. His gaze yet again fell on Jiyong, as though the omega were a lodestone and Daesung mere iron drawn towards him. The omega’s lips were moving rapidly and his eyes circled in white; he was screaming for something. Stroke, stroke, stroke. The alpha pushed on towards his mate, his home. His legs stuttered in the water, and his head sunk beneath the water, the liquid rushing to fill his open mouth. Breaking the surface once more, he coughed in an attempt to squeeze the river water out of his lungs, and the rhythm of his paddling became unsteady, tangled like the plants that clung to the riverbed. He sank under again, this time longer, before he was able to fight his way to the top. Raising his head, he locked gazes with Jiyong once more – his heart turning cold as he realized this would be the last time he saw the beautiful omega.

There were a million things he wished he had thought to say to the omega during their lunchbreak. He could remember the way Jiyong had asked about his home, only to be told to simply wait until they got there. Daesung wished he could have seen the look on Jiyong’s face as he described the wide plains that would fill with fireflies on summer nights or the undoubted delight the omega would express when he saw the house his alpha built him as a symbol of his love. It would have been beautiful, Daesung thought, to grow old with the beautiful brunette – sharing their lives until the Goddess eased the life from their weary bodies. But at least Jiyong would have a better life in the mountains. His parents would take care of the omega as though he were their son, and perhaps one day he would find someone who could love him better than Daesung was able to. And that, perhaps, was the best he could hope for: that the Goddess would bless Jiyong with a mate who truly deserved him, not a sham of an alpha who could not even keep him safe.

His paws slowed in the water as he held Jiyong’s gaze one last time, wishing he could tell the omega how desperately he cared for him, imperfect though they both were.

Slowly, body aching, he slipped beneath the water and was swept over the lip of the waterfall – tumbling into the nothingness. 

Is there a sound a heart makes when it dies? Perhaps it would be a wordless shriek of agony, the sort that left the throat raw as tears streamed down reddened cheeks. Or, perhaps it would be the hopeless rattle of the last breath slipping through bluing lips, reverberating through the echoing stillness of the nothingness left in its wake. Or, perhaps it would be the choked prayer left unanswered, a whispered mutter unheard by even the deities who had breathed life into the now emptied soul.

Jiyong had no idea what sound he made, only that it was enough to draw a hush – even the vile throng across the water falling into stillness. He knew, logically, that there had to be sound coming from his open mouth, but his head was so full of despair that he could not even hear the sound of his own ragged breathing. There was not even a coherent thought, not even a name, that could pierce the silence raging its way through his mind. It was as though he had simply been carved hollow, scraped of every last feeling until only the fleshy dregs were left to slowly wither into intangible slime along the walls of his heart. But for all the silence in his mind, his sight burned with perfect clarity. Every detail, every fragment of the tableau played perfectly before his eyes in an endless repeat.

The moment Daesung had jumped, he had hoped – wildly and willfully – that his mate would be able to do the superhuman and fight the current. He prayed, with every fiber of his soul, that Daesung would be granted strength, that he would be sustained by the Goddess. Surely She, a being of infinite power, could spare a little wisp of her greatness to carry the alpha to safety. Every stroke that brought the pack leader closer felt as though it had been drawn from Jiyong’s body, and by the time Daesung had breached the halfway point the omega was gasping for breath along with him. He felt more than saw Chansung remove the portion of the trunk – it sprayed the entire pack with water as it came in contact with the river’s roiling surface; his gaze could not be removed from Daesung for anything short of his mate’s salvation. As Chansung sunk to the ground, spent after his feat, Taekwoon ran to the shoreline. Stripping off his shirt, the delta seemed to be preparing to jump into the water and fight his way to his leader’s side. Hope stuttered bright and frantic between the slotted bone of Jiyong’s ribs. Yes, someone could swim to Daesung and –

His gaze met the alpha’s as Daesung sluggishly surfaced. The honey blond seemed to slow, as though he were swimming through thick molasses instead of a raging river, and in his eyes was a weariness so deep it froze Jiyong to the core. His mate sunk back underneath the water, and for breathless seconds he was nowhere to be seen. And then, there above the white crest of the lip of the waterfall, Jiyong’s eyes met Daesung’s. Taekwoon was wading out into the water, tears pouring down his stony face, even as their alpha vanished over the lip of the waterfall.

Daesung was…

Taecyeon’s grip loosened enough for Jiyong to collapse onto the ground in a puddle of tears and vomit. The omega’s entire body racked with the aftershocks of emptying his stomach on the ground; every molecule of his being seemed to reject the thought of living in a world without its mate. Around him the other wolves either watched in confusion or sank into their own despairing fits as the reality sank in that Daesung was… Oh Goddess, no. Jiyong sank his fingers into the mire, the bleeding ends of his fingertips hooking in the mud as though it could somehow draw him into the comforting nothingness of its embrace. But there was nothing: no respite, no comfort, no Daesung. There was only the utter anguish of being left entirely alone. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....
> 
> I'll just go sit over in that corner over there until you're done being upset with me. At this rate, I will hopefully have another update done this weekend. It depends on how quickly I can write a literature review ... actually, two literature reviews. Ugh, grad school. :/
> 
> If you liked it, if you hated it, if you're upset beyond reason, let me know in the comments! I seriously love hearing from you all. <3


	10. Hurry Home

Day bled towards late afternoon as the Excelsior wolves mourned the loss of their pack leader. Amber sat wordless in the mud, staring blankly at the roiling surface of the river, even as Henry kept his arms wrapped firmly around her. He was doing his best to murmur comforting words into her soft blond hair and even dared to press soft kisses to her forehead. In reality, though, he was surprised by her reaction: She was acting as though she had been the one to die, so empty and cold were her eyes. Losing a pack leader was difficult, certainly, but he had seen many rise and fall during his lifetime. What made Daesung different?

Not too far from where Amber sat, Taecyeon was openly crying into Chansung’s shoulder while the younger beta buried his face in his hands. Kyungsoo sat tucked up against his mate’s free side, a frown on his face as he listened to the mingled weeping of the betas. Looking up, the delta squinted – trying to see across the river. Unable to see anything, he turned to find Hakyeon standing silently on top of a nearby rock. “Have they left?” the redheaded delta croaked, his voice dropping into the silence like the heavy thud of a coin hitting still water.

Hakyeon blinked, as though coming to himself from a daydream, and looked over at Kyungsoo. “Who?” The delta nodded across the river. Breath catching at the reminder, Hakyeon shaded his eyes and looked over to the other shore. “They’re still there, but…” He narrowed his eyes. “It looks like they’re getting ready to move down river.”

“They’re going to find somewhere to cross, probably,” Yongguk murmured, his low voice settling into everyone’s bones. Jiyong shuddered and curled up into a tighter ball; he didn’t want to think about reality anymore. For all he cared, they could leave him there to die. “We need to get moving.”

“…Why should we bother?” Jiyong managed to breath through his clenched teeth. “What’s the point?”

Walking over to Jiyong, the NeverNoon alpha grabbed him by the arm and bodily hauled him to his feet. “Your mate didn’t hold those dogs off just so you could let them rip you up later.” Yongguk raised an eyebrow. “Now, let’s go. Amber, how far do we have left to go?”

Hearing her name, the alpha looked up. She glanced towards the trail and shrugged. “Til we’re on pack lands? I – I don’t know. Maybe a couple hours?”

“If we hurry, can we make it by dark?” Amber nodded and shrugged, “maybe” written in every line of the gesture. “Well, we’ll never make it there if we don’t get moving.”

Slowly, each of the NeverNoon wolves rose to their feet – some having to pull others to their feet – and moved to stand behind their alpha. Even Hakyeon, who still seemed to be lost in a dream, drifted over to stand at Yongguk’s side. Kyungsoo carefully took his mate’s hands away from his face. “Come on, Chansung. We’ve got to go.” Looking down at Chansung’s hands, the delta gasped. “Chansung! Your hands!” The palms were red and shiny, as though moist, with blisters bubbling up beneath the flesh. And then Kyungsoo remembered how the beta had grabbed the burning trunk, tossing it into the river. His poor hands, the delta thought, must have been burned by the contact. The damage was bad enough, but it also meant that Chansung would not be able to shift – would not be able to carry anyone on his back. How would they ever make it to the Excelsior lands? 

Chansung hiccupped and stared uncomprehendingly at Kyungsoo. Then, slowly, his gaze followed the downward trajectory of his mate’s gaze, and he winced at the condition of his hands. “Oh skies,” he growled, shuddering as he (foolishly) tried to flex them.

At his side, Taecyeon stopping crying in order to gasp in shock. “Sung, your hands!”

Kyungsoo shot the beta a flat look. Yes, Chansung’s hands were damaged. How had Taecyeon managed to miss that? Honestly. Rising, Kyungsoo put his hand on Chansung’s shoulder. “We need to get you to help,” he murmured. “Before they get infected.”

Numbly nodding, the beta let his mate help him to his feet. “I need…Junsu.” He shuffled over to where Taekwoon stood, his face set in its usual stony expression. “Taekwoon… Do you know anything that will help?”

The delta, whose Bao was one of the pack healers, carefully examined the wounds. He then nodded and pulled Chansung over to the shoreline. “Soak your hands,” he ordered gently. “I’ll find what I need.” His nearly feline eyes moved over to rest on Yongguk and the ragtag NeverNoon wolves. “Once I’ve taken care of Chansung’s hands, we’ll be ready to go.” Taekwoon only just managed to repress the tears that threatened to drown out his voice. But, he knew that Yongguk was right: Daesung did not die so they could give up. There would be time to cry and hate the world when they were safely at home. Until then, feelings were best bottled up and locked away.

“Of course.” Yongguk nodded. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

“No.” Taekwoon turned and began to search the shoreline for the herbs that would help ease Chansung’s pain, which was starting to filter past the barricade of shock that had filtered it before. When the brunette returned, he knelt at Chansung’s side and began to mash gathered yarrow leaves into a paste. “Do we have a blanket or cloth we can tear to wrap it with?” he called.

Hayi immediately moved, going to one of the bedrolls. She found one of the lighter blankets and carried it over to Taekwoon. He gave her a flat look and nodded to it. After a moment, the young Goddess Touched began to tear it into strips, wincing a little at the destruction of something that had been so vital to her survival for so long. Taekwoon took the strips from her and carefully washed them in the water. He then heated them a bit with his powers, causing steam to rise from them, before he turned to Chansung. “This will make it so it does not get infected. Bao will be able to help you better.” Though, looking at the state of the wolves, his Bao would have a great deal of work ahead of him, especially since little Tzuyu had been crying nonstop since before the loss of Daesung. She had been fussing so much he half suspected colic or hunger were the cause of her tears. Chansung simply nodded and allowed the delta to apply the yarrow paste to his wounds. The delta then carefully wrapped his hands, leaving the bandages loose enough they did not put any unwanted pressure on the blisters. “You won’t be able to run on these,” Taekwoon warned. Chansung simply nodded, resigned.

“I’ll carry him,” Kyungsoo said, his expression set in stern determination.

Taekwoon arched an eyebrow. “How?”

Kyungsoo straightened up a little, raising his chin. “I can do it.” He and the other delta stared one another down. “We won’t be going fast. I won’t get out of breath. I can do it.”

Tipping his head back, Chansung looked at his mate for several long moments. “Alright,” he mumbled. “I trust you.” He shrugged. “Worst comes to worst, we go on two legs instead of four.” 

\---

Cutting the darkness came the one sound the wolves had come to dread: The rising notes of a hunting song greeting the moon. Jiyong felt his blood turn to mud within his veins, dragging sluggishly and unwillingly to the extremities of his body. He did not have enough feeling left in his franticly beating heart to be afraid; only a stern resignation echoed through his body, as though his very soul were rolling over to bear its vulnerable stomach to the hunters who would at last claim their lives. This, Jiyong thought, was not the life he had envisioned for himself when Daesung had asked him to be his mate. They were supposed to grow old together, have puppies, fall in love – everything that had been systematically torn away from them in a few short hours. Now Jiyong would not even be able to tell Daesung’s parents what had happened to their child nor weep with them over their shared loss. Instead, he would fall to fang and claw in the darkness, just another pile of bones and flesh for the maggots to churn to earth.

Yongguk did his best to rally the wolves – moving to nudge them forward as best he could – but their bodies had nothing left to give. The basin wolves were panting and dizzy, stumbling at best through the shadows, while the mountain wolves’ bodies trembled with exhaustion. Even Chansung, who had been walking the past few miles, looked ready to fall over, but he kept putting one foot in front of the other with resolute determination. Jiyong wondered why he bothered. Tipping his head back, the omega let out a howl born of the purest despair: heartbreak given a voice. At his side, Wooyoung shuddered but could not find it within him to protest.

Ahead of them, Jinyoung collapsed, every muscle in his body spasming in absolute exhaustion. Bomi whimpered, pressing her nose into the matted jet of his fur. He barely managed to twitch at her touch, and Yongguk was beside them in a moment. Shifting to his human form, the alpha lifted the young NeverNoon omega into his arms. The howls came thicker and louder in the darkness. Every muscle along his shoulders and back screamed in protest, threatening to rip flesh from bone, as he pulled Jinyoung from the mud. Rocking back on his heels, the alpha tried to steady the weight in his arms before hefting the omega – settling his weight more evenly in his grasp. Yongguk drew in a slow, shuddering breath. Lifting a foot, the pack leader took an unsteady step forward, pain jolting through his entire body at the motion. Soon one step became another as the alpha trudged forward, the dull throb of his head setting a ceaseless rhythm like the clinking of chains at a prisoner’s ankles as they walked towards the gallows. Yongguk had only felt so tired once before in his life: on a night washed with screaming agony and bitter iron of loss. His jaw clenched, grinding his teeth together. He had been running from Hong Man’s death order that night too. But, this time it seemed Death would at last press a fleeting, final kiss to the ragged, chapped surface of his lips. They were all going to die. Digging his fingers more firmly into Jinyoung’s fur, Yongguk ignored the piercing howls that were coming louder, more insistent, from all around them as his weary body kept its relentless forward motion: step, step, step, step. Death would almost be a relief. 

It came in the shape of silvery shadows between the jagged, mawing darkness of the forest – slips of life between the trunks. Wolves. Distant moonlight, filtering between the stretching branches of the giant trees, reflected off eyes in the night; thirty pairs at least. While the other fleeing wolves stumbled to a stop, clustering together, Yongguk continued walking – step, step, step – feet dragging through the mud. The alpha’s foot caught on a root, sending him crashing to the ground, Jinyoung’s eerily still body pinned beneath his. In the darkness, Taekwoon’s fingers crept over to curl around Hakyeon’s rounder digits in an attempt to comfort the alpha. Looking over at the stoic brunette at his side, Hakyeon’s full lips drew into a ragged smile. There was something right about this, dying together. He had only known the wolf a few days, but it was better to imagine facing their last days together than to spend lifetimes apart. Taekwoon was not Kyungsoo – he never would be – but he was perhaps something better. The alpha’s heart ached at the thought of a thousand tomorrows they would never see: days they could have perhaps come to be friends, maybe more, if they were only given the chance.

Growling shivered through the air, rattling the leaves and chilling the blood Hong Man’s pack began to close in on the broken wolves. It was only too easy for Jiyong to close his eyes, waiting for the pain in his chest to be ripped out with the soft, treacherous flesh of his heart.

Howls. Loud. Insistent. Piercing.

Jiyong could live a hundred years and never want to hear the sound again. It was as though someone had walked into his childhood home and made it a murder scene, so alienating was it to hear the comforting sound of wolfsong turned into a death knell. He shuddered, drawing into a tighter ball against the warm press of Wooyoung’s body. His cousin’s fingers tangled in his hair, holding him close as they waited for the end.

But, as the first of Hong Man’s dogs leapt forward – fangs flashing in the darkness – their attack did not go unmet. A large, bright figure sprung over Jiyong and Wooyoung, landing paws-first on the attacking wolf. Snarls fell into a hollow rattle as the basin wolf met its end, and Jiyong opened his eyes to view the scene – heart stuttering erratically in his chest at the sudden postponement of his death. The wolf before them was large - perhaps not as large as the other wolves, but still powerfully built - with fur that shone silver in the moonlight. Every line of the wolf's body bespoke of power and control even as he whirled to meet another attacker, slamming them into the ground. He fought with surprising grace and strength for his size; he was easily defeating wolves that towered over him. And he seemed to be protecting the basin wolves; it was almost impossible to believe. Jiyong tipped his head back to look at Wooyoung, and the cousins shared a look that seemed to ask a very important question: What was going on? Other figures melted out of the shadows, seeming to block out the distant stars with their size. Even the smallest of these new wolves seemed to dwarf the basin wolves; almost all of them were at least as large as Chansung, if not larger than Taecyeon. Slipping through the trees, the wolves weaved through the darkness until Hong Man’s task force was surrounded. The wolf who had protected Jiyong and Wooyoung sounded out a single bark, and death filled the darkness. Turning, Jiyong buried his face in Wooyoung’s neck; he had no more stomach for bloodshed. So long as he lived, he never wanted to see another wolf die.

When silence at last fell, Jiyong pulled his head from where it had been tucked against Wooyoung’s shoulder and looked cautiously around. He could see the shapes of bodies in the shadows, but the darkness blissfully hid the majority of the gore. The omega took a steadying breath before slowly peeling away from his cousin, and he even stumbled up to his feet. Turning, he sought the pale wolf who had defended them; the moonlit alpha had seemed to be the pack leader, if his command over the other wolves had been any indication of rank. In the darkness, though, the omega could not see very far – his eyesight as a human was a mere shadow of what it was as a wolf.

His thoughts were interrupted by the first, delicate splash of a raindrop hitting the gentle slope of his eyebrow. Tipping his head back, Jiyong looked up at the evening sky as purple-grey clouds split open and the rain began to pour. The omega drew in a deep breath, reveling in the way the rainwater purged the air of the acrid iron of blood and fear; soon only the fresh loamy scent of wet earth and pure water remained. A soft, sad smile turned Jiyong’s lips. There was something in the scent of rain that reminded him of his mate: an earthiness like the rich mountain soil and the freshness of pine. Daesung had smelled of his mountain home, though he did not realize it. A sigh slipped past the omega’s lips. Just thinking of Daesung was enough to bring to memory the ghost of his scent, which had been imprinted on Jiyong’s mind the moment they had met. Earthy soil, pine, musk; but, under those typical scents had crackled something distinctly Daesung, a soft of fragrant spice that made Jiyong think of burning stars and fiery flowers in the last rays of sunlight. His bottom lip trembled. It was cruel how well his memory was able to recreate Daesung’s scent; the memory was so strong it was as though his alpha were standing mere steps behind him.

“Jiyong.”

Every thought crashed out of his head at the warm, husky sound of his name. A tremor racked its way through Jiyong’s too thin body as he stumbled forward in an attempt to turn, his feet catching on one another in his hurry. His nostrils flared, drinking in the impossible scent once again, as at last his eyes fell to rest on a figure that seemed to have stepped out of the haunted dreams that had clouded Jiyong’s mind as exhaustion and pain had melted away reason. He choked out a laugh. This was a new low for him, he thought. The trauma of the day had created the greatest agony of all: imaging Daesung was there with him. Rubbing at his eyes, the omega cursed the burn of tears that threatened to track down his cheeks. He knew this had to be a vision and not his mate because Daesung was not that tall nor his hair streaked with so much gold. His Daesung, the real one, had been powerfully built, certainly, but he was not like the creature before him – a wolf in his prime and easily taller than the omega. How cruel, Jiyong thought, that his mind could not even bother to conjure a proper Daesung.

And then he felt the warm slide of calloused fingertips along the line of his jaw. He drew in a sharp, shuddering breath that caused him to drown in the smell of Daesung. But, the memory was imperfect. There, beneath all of the familiar scents, even beneath the unique scent of Daesung, lingered the smell of blood. The sharp iron – so unusual in the context of a hallucination – brought Jiyong to himself, his heart seeming to forget how to keep rhythm in his chest. “Daesung?” he breathed, the name barely slipping past his cracked lips to stain the night. “Am.. Did I die?” His brows furrowed. It was the only thing he could think of, that in dying he had been permitted to be reunited with his lover. How kind, Jiyong thought, that the Goddess let mateship continue beyond the boundaries of life. An eternity learning to love his mate would be no poor thing. But then Daesung laughed, husky and warm, sending chills of awareness prickling along Jiyong’s forearms – goosebumps.

“I sure hope you didn’t die, Ji,” the alpha murmured, taking a step closer. Jiyong could feel the solid warmth of Daesung’s body, even through the combined fabric of their clothing. “Since the Goddess sent me back from the grave for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you really think I was going to kill him?


End file.
